"Join me when you can," Gunnar shouted to his friend as he began to defend against the two men preceding Babul.
On the other side of Gunnar, Talot held his staff in the middle. He stood as if waiting for the approaching enemy to come to him, but with a sudden burst of speed, he surged forward working his staff up and down to deflect the staffs of two of his opponents. He held the staff parallel to the ground and powered into the two men, carrying them past the approaching line. He dumped them to the ground and hit each with a sharp rap to the head.
Two of the enemy turned to attack Talot. The giant let his staff slide through his hands until he gripped the very end of it. He leaned forward and shoved the end of the staff into one opponent's gut and immediately spun to his left bringing the staff around to smash into the side of the second man. The first man doubled over and sank to his knees, while the second howled in pain, letting his staff fall from his hands. Talot swung his staff low and took the legs out from under the second man while kicking the man on his knees in the head.
Monte knew that he was gripping his staff too tightly. He gritted his teeth and loosened his grip slightly. He saw Talot race forward, carrying two men with him. When two more of the opponents turned to attack the giant, Monte's confidence grew. Of the two men still charging the Caroomite, the tall one swung his staff at Monte. Monte blocked the swing and pivoted away so that the tall man was blocking the short one. The short man tried to swing at Monte, but ended up hitting his own partner, as the archer danced away. Monte immediately counterattacked, striking the tall man in the side of the head with the end of his staff. The man's eyes rolled in his head, and his tall body toppled to the ground. The short man leaped out of the way of the falling body. He avoided the collision, but he left himself open to Monte's staff, which struck him in the chest. The man's staff fell from his hands as he staggered backwards. With Monte and Talot closing in on him, the short man turned and ran.
In the center of the battle, Gunnar turned away from helping Horst. Alan and another man charged towards him while Babul stayed a few steps behind. Gunnar accepted a weak hit on his shoulder from Alan in order to skewer his other opponent by shoving the end of his staff into the man's stomach. The man doubled over and Gunnar stepped back and snapped the end of the staff upwards, connecting with the man's chin. The Arin prince immediately spun bringing his staff around in a sweeping arc. The staff slammed into Alan's legs, and the mousy man crashed to the street.
Suddenly, a bowstring snapped, and an arrow soared through the air. Gunnar was vaguely aware of a distant scream, but he raised his staff to block a blow from Babul. Another bow snap and another scream invaded his concentration as he slapped Babul's arm with the end of his staff. Babul countered with a low swing as shouts of outrage filled the air from the direction of the tavern. Gunnar leaped high above the sweep of Babul's staff, bringing his own staff down on the man's shoulder. The hit was weak, but it disoriented the thief. Gunnar landed lightly on his feet and reversed his staff sending the force of it into Babul's stomach. The prince danced backwards a step and slammed the staff into the side of Babul's head.
The big man wobbled slightly, and Gunnar spun one more time. He whirled in a complete circle and slammed the staff into the other side of Babul's head. The staff shattered, and the big thief tumbled to the ground. He did not stir.
Gunnar looked around and saw that the fight was over. He looked towards the tavern and saw the crowd surrounding two bodies. Two smashed bows and dozens of arrows were scattered about on the ground before the bodies, and the picture suddenly became clear to the Arin prince, at least one side of the picture. Gunnar whirled and saw a man standing at the mouth of the alleyway, a bow in his hands with an arrow nocked. As Horst, Monte, and Talot hurried to pick up their weapons, the mystery archer turned and fled. Gunnar turned back towards the tavern and a hush had fallen over the crowd. He walked, weaponless, towards the crowd and stopped a few paces in front of them.
"Last night these men nearly killed Kerzi," Gunnar said loud enough for all to hear. "Now I know that Capri is a rather wild country, but what kind of men would allow such savagery to exist in their midst? Did any of you know the merchant Kerzi?"
A few men mumbled affirmatively and a few more nodded, but the crowd was subdued.
"I only met Kerzi a few months ago," Gunnar continued, "so I may not have known him as long as some of you, but there is nothing to hate in that man."
"You got the ones that did it," interrupted one of the spectators. "Why are you yelling at us?"
"I am not yelling at you," Gunnar replied calmly. "I am truly trying to understand you. While these men," he waved his hand towards the wounded men in the street, "carried out the attack, the merchant had to crawl through this town and along the road. I know enough to realize that some of you must have witnessed that poor old man crawling for help. I am not going to try to guess which among you failed to help. In fact, I truly do not want to know. I am talking to you only to make you think about it, to search inside yourself and ask what kind of man you have become when you can casually watch an innocent man bleed to death."
Gunnar turned to leave and felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. He turned around to see a hawk-nosed man standing slightly in front of the rest of the crowd.
"Some of us have already dwelt upon that," the man said softly. "Kerzi was the cheapest merchant that ever rode through Goodland, but he always had a smile for anyone who needed it, and he never bad-mouthed anyone. Babul and his boys will never be welcome in Goodland again. You can be assured of that."
"I think that is wise of you," Gunnar smiled thinly and started to leave when a thought popped into his mind. "Do you know where Kerzi's horses are?"
"Probably at the stables at the end of the street," the man answered. "Is he going to live?"
"I hope so," answered the Arin prince. "I understand his wagon was destroyed, but the least I can do is return his horses and gold to him."
"Babul will have the gold tucked under his tunic," offered the man. "He wouldn't trust anyone else to hold it, not even that weasel Alan."
"Thank you," smiled Gunnar.
Gunnar turned and walked across the street to his friends. He picked up his weapons and strapped them on.
"Monte," Gunnar said, "at the end of the street are the stables where Kerzi's horses are kept. Go get them. We are taking them with us."
Gunnar rolled Babul's body over and cut the man's tunic to reach the pouch hidden beneath it. The bandit leader's eyes opened, and he groaned. Gunnar put his face close to Babul's, and the bandit's eyes widened in fear.
"You cheated, Babul," Gunnar said softly. "That gives me the right to kill you and not break my promise to the old man."
"Don't kill me," pleaded Babul. "Take the gold. Take whatever you want, but don't kill me."
Talot placed a firm hand on Gunnar's shoulder, but the Arin prince shook it off.
"I will think about it, Babul," Gunnar responded. "I may not make a decision today, or tomorrow, but my mind will be made up by the next time we meet."
"I will make sure to stay out of your way," promised the bandit.
"That would be wise," winked the Arin prince. "I would have no reason to go searching for you unless I hear stories of your brutality again. Be good."
Gunnar did not wait for a response. He rose and walked swiftly away as if he didn't dare stay close to Babul a moment longer. The warriors retreated through the alleyway and Horst bent to study the tracks made by the archer who had fled.
"What do you see?" asked Gunnar.
"An Odessian beauty," answered Horst.
"Unless I am mistaken," Gunnar said softly to Horst, "I have probably ridden it."
Horst glanced up at Gunnar with questioning eyes. Suddenly, he smiled and nodded. "Do we go hunting tonight?"
"We do," nodded Gunnar, "just the two of us."
Monte arrived with the two horses, and the group mounted up and rode out of Goodland. Horst's eyes remained on the surface
of the road for the entire trip back to the campsite.
Jared and Kerzi sat by the fire. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation, but they quieted as the warriors returned. Kerzi held his breath as he waited for the last of the four warriors to appear and then he exhaled loudly.
"I guess he got smart and left town," Kerzi sighed with relief.
"No," smiled Gunnar as he tossed the pouch of gold to the merchant, "but he is planning to. The people of Goodland don't want him anymore."
"You didn't kill him?" asked Kerzi.
"No," Gunnar shook his head, "although he gave me reason to. Twelve to four odds were not good enough for him. He had two archers on the roof of the tavern. Some man in the town shot both of them."
Kerzi smiled as he hefted the pouch of gold. He knew he could use the pouch to buy a wagon and get a fresh start, and he was about to say so, but Gunnar walked away. The Arin prince retrieved his writing box and sat alone near the edge of the clearing. Talot and Monte went out hunting, and Horst slipped off into the trees. After a few minutes, Gunnar rose and approached the campfire. He asked Jared to go off for a walk and the lad obeyed. Kerzi watched curiously as Gunnar melted some wax and then sealed the paper with something from his pouch. Kerzi immediately thought of the note he had given to the royal palace in Oran.
"What are you sealing that with?" the old man asked.
Gunnar smiled and handed the merchant the ring. Kerzi stared at it for a bit, and his eyes widened.
"Are you a thief after all?" gasped Kerzi. "I would not have believed that of you."
"You know that I am not," chuckled Gunnar as he handed the note to the old man and retrieved his ring. "Why do you refuse to believe it?"
"I guess I don't want to," smiled Kerzi. "If you are who I think you are then I can hardly think of you as a son."
"I would be happy for you to think of me as a son," smiled Gunnar. "How long have you suspected?"
"I don't know for sure," admitted the merchant. "I knew there was something special in you from the first day we met, but I never imagined that you were a prince, not even after Horst joined up. I think I finally figured it out the first day in Anatar when you and I went in to speak to the king. His eyes shined bright when he looked at you, sort of like the glow a father gets when he first sees his newborn child. I knew that it meant something special."
"Well you will get to see him again," smiled Prince Antion. "You must present that note at the royal palace in Anatar. They will outfit you with a new wagon."
"I cannot accept charity from the prince of Arin," Kerzi shook his head. "I have plenty of gold. I will have a new wagon built and continue on as I have always done."
"You can't do that," the Arin prince shook his head, "at least not for a while. I put fear into Babul, but he or his men might try to extract revenge on you for the beating they received today. It is not safe for you in Capri right now. Besides, this is not charity. Arin needs men like you right now. With the coming war, we need constant wagon runs between Kyland and Anatar. You are an honest, hard-working merchant. With this note from me, my father will know that he can trust you, not only with shipments of goods, but messages as well. He cannot send those with just any merchant."
"That is sounding pretty good," Kerzi nodded. "He pays well, and I won't have to worry about what cargo I am going to deliver. That will be chosen for me."
"Good," smiled the prince. "That is settled then. You will leave first thing in the morning. I must ask you to keep my identity secret. I still worry about the Borundans reading people's minds."
"Have no fear, Prince Antion," chuckled the old man. "I hope you don't mind, but I had to say that just once. I have called you Gunnar for so long."
"How did Jared act after we left," the prince asked, as he turned more serious. "Did he fret about the Talent within him?"
"Somewhat," nodded the merchant, "but I spoke to him about it. He truly saved my life, and he knows it. I think this was perhaps the very best way for him to discover his Talent. He is still not comfortable with it, but he will do nothing rash. He loves you like a brother, Gunnar."
"I know," nodded the prince, "and I must care for him as a brother would."
"Protect him," lectured the old man, "but not overly so. Give him room to breath, and put your faith in him. If you don't, you will always be required to protect him, and that is not healthy for a growing man. He has to have a sense that he is contributing."
"I will try to keep that in mind," promised the Arin prince.
Talot and Monte returned with six rabbits, and Kerzi slid the note into his pouch. Gunnar hid the ring in his pouch and called for Jared. The rest of the day was spent resting and mending the many minor tears that usually develop on the trail. Horst returned after being away from the camp for several hours, but he said little and only responded when spoken to.
The evening meal consisted of rabbit stew and roast rabbit, and everyone turned in early. Talot was assigned the first sentry slot and Monte the last. By the time Horst relieved Talot the moon was high overhead. As soon as Horst was sure that Talot was sleeping, he woke Gunnar up. The two princes moved stealthily away from the camp to talk.
"I am not happy leaving the camp with no sentry," frowned Gunnar. "Maybe I should ask Kerzi to take a watch?"
"He will have a long ride tomorrow," Horst shook his head. "After what happened in Goodland yesterday, I doubt that anyone would want to attack our campsite."
"I can't take that chance," decided the Arin prince. "I will wake Jared. At least he will be able to wake the others. Wait here and I will return shortly."
The Arin prince slipped back into the camp and woke Jared. He used the horse language to tell the lad to keep a watch and wake everyone if he heard anything. Jared nodded his understanding and Gunnar slipped through the woods to meet with Horst again.
"How far do we have to go?" Gunnar asked.
"Not very far at all," replied the Odessian prince. "He is bold, but he is also smart. He has kept the high ground to himself and placed his camp between the town and us. We would have a hard time slipping out without his knowing about it."
"He is very much at home in the woods," nodded Gunnar. "Let's go."
Horst led the way as the two princes moved quietly through the trees. It soon became obvious to Gunnar that Horst had mapped out the entire route in his mind. He knew exactly where to go to avoid tripping over large roots, or stumbling into an animal burrow. The chosen path detoured around a long row of brambles and a steep incline where the sliding pebbles underfoot would alert anyone still awake. In fact, Horst had taken so much care in mapping out the most silent path to their destination, that it shocked both of them when the sound of a tiny bell split the air. The two princes looked at each other in the moonlight with puzzled expressions. The bell had been close, but neither one of them knew what had caused it.
"Raise your arms high over your heads so I can see that they are free of weapons," called a calm voice not far away. "I will not ask twice, and I do not miss what I aim at. Do it now."
Chapter 27 - The Alcove
The Alcove
"This is embarrassing," Prince Umal said under his breath as he raised his arms high over his head.
"Don't dwell on it," chuckled Prince Antion as he also raised his arms. "As no one understands horses as well as you, the same is true of forests and our friend. Let's go let him gloat and get this over with."
"We're coming into the camp," called the Odessian prince as he started to walk towards the hidden campsite. "I hope you have some tea on the fire."
The small clearing was dark, except for a sliver of moonlight that pierced the canopy creating a pale oval of light upon the ground. As the two princes moved through the low brush to enter the clearing, a man stepped out of the darkness and into the pale oval. He was a young bearded man with shoulder-length black hair, and he held a long two-handed sword.
"There is no fire," grinned the mystery archer. "That would surely give my position away.
How did you find me?"
"I am not without skills of my own," retorted Prince Umal. "Can we lower our arms now?"
"What was with the bell, Derri?" asked Prince Antion as he dropped his arms and walked into the clearing to stand in front of the archer.
"One cannot stand sentry when one travels alone," grinned Prince Derri. "I picked up a bunch of small bells in the marketplace in Kyland and several spools of thread. Each night I spread a perimeter around my campsite. It has given me a few false alarms when animals trip it, but that is preferable to not waking up in the morning."
"Thank you for being in Goodland yesterday," Prince Antion said sincerely. "Were it not for you, some of us would have died."
"What are friends for?" smiled the Salacian prince.
"How did you happen to be there?" asked the Odessian prince. "I cannot believe it is a coincidence."
"I have been following you since you left Kyland," answered Prince Derri.
"Following us?" gasped Prince Antion. "Why?"
"A number of reasons," shrugged the Salacian prince. "Had I asked to join with you, I am sure that you would have refused me, besides it took time for my beard to grow in. I could not possibly hide in Anatar without a disguise. Too many people there would have recognized me."
"Does your father know where you are?" asked Prince Antion.
"He knows that I am with you," answered Prince Derri, "but not where I am. He encouraged me to join with you, although I needed no encouragement. Whatever threatens your family, threatens mine. It has been so since the Great Peace began."
"It is more than mere tradition," smiled Prince Antion. "Both of you are like brothers to me, as if we were from the same family."
"Brothers," agreed Prince Umal, "although some are more devious than others," he added with a smile as he looked at Prince Derri.
"You aren't still angry with me over that incident in Kyland, are you?" chuckled Prince Derri.
"A bit," Prince Umal laughed. "I do admit it was a clever ruse to speak in private, but part of me still seeks revenge for being held prisoner for hours in a cold stone cell."
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