by Robin Roseau
“Menoshídi is further,” said the Altearan guard captain. “And that appears north of the road.”
“I do not wish them to learn such a force is here,” said the Goddess. “If they run, we could chase them for days.”
“Can’t you stop them?” Juleena asked through me.
“I am afraid not. Princess Juleena and Princess Lásenalta, what do you recommend?”
No one was fooled. Every pair of eyes turned to Juleena. She nodded and spoke in Framaran. “I’m sorry, Yalla, this is too complex for me in Altearan. I believe I can only make recommendations,” she said. “I will say what I would do in Framara.” She paused for translations, which I had to give twice. “There was a tavern in the last town. I would send all the priestesses there with a small guard. The rest of us can move much more quickly without the sleighs. Keep our gear in case it turns into a run. Reevaluate as we get closer.”
“Scouts,” said the Altearan captain.
“We don’t know who we’re chasing. Can your Goddess go ahead and learn more?”
“No,” she replied when I translated. “Yalla, do not tell them this, but if I am not with you, then I will find myself back at the Heart of the Goddess.”
“How close must you remain?”
“Speaking distance. This is not a restriction I wish known.”
I switched back to Altearan and then Framaran. “She says she must stay with me. She and I together could scout. I only need to cover my hair.”
“No,” they all said together, including the Goddess when I spoke in her language. “They have already demonstrated willingness to hurt a priestess,” Alta added. “You remain well-guarded. I must insist.”
“As must I,” said the Goddess.
“Then,” Juleena said. “We travel quickly. If the Goddess can give us distance and direction periodically, we could circle around as necessary. Evaluate when we see what we’re facing. Tactics in a village will be different than an isolated farm.”
There were details to work out. The Altearan captain wanted to send the priestesses back with only a Framaran honor guard. Alta overruled him stating the honor guard could be all Altearan or a mix of Framaran and Altearan. Juleena vetoed that and said she did not want her guards isolated in Alteara without either her or the captain to oversee them. “I trust them, but this is a recipe for diplomatic disaster,” she explained.
In the end, it was agreed to send them with four of the Altearans. The captain wasn’t pleased, but he admitted it was the best choice. But then he turned to Juleena. “Princess, we are depending upon you more than ever.”
She nodded. “These are the best of our guard,” she said. “They are solid, and they have all served with me in the past. Lady Yallameenara also has traveled with most of them before and knows them by name. I have complete faith. If the political situation were different, I would send them with the priestesses, but you know what that could mean.”
He nodded at that. “I appreciate your help, Princess,” he said.
Juleena looked at Alta then me. “I’d send both of you, but we need Yalla to speak to the Goddess, and I do not like the politics if Princess Lásenalta does not join us.”
“I agree,” Alta said.
“There is one remaining problem,” said the Goddess, when we thought everything was settled. “I cannot ride a trot. You haven’t taught me.”
“What have you done in the past?”
“Carriages.”
“And you need to remain with me.”
“Yes.”
I smiled. “What if you ride with me,” I said. “And float, just a little bit.”
She smiled. “I can do that.”
We broke up and told the rest of our party what would happen. The priestesses didn’t argue and agreed they would see our helpful farmer home. I offered hugs, but when I tried to hug Naddí and Féla, they said, “We’re going with you. Don’t even argue.”
I looked at Juleena, and she nodded.
We sent the priestesses away with their honor guard. We were left with eight Altearans, eight Framarans, Juleena, Naddí, and Féla who could fight, plus Alta, myself, and the Goddess, who could not.
The force broke into two, with Juleena and her captain giving a speech about being careful. “It would not do if we kill anyone,” she said. “We need to support the Altearans.”
The Altearan captain, when I wandered over, was telling his troops, “We must rely on them, but we’re going to be our best. And I want everyone to remember that in spite of difficulties, they’re here helping us. No mistakes in the heat of the moment.”
That was a little chilling, and I stepped over to the Goddess and repeated what had been said.
“These are good people,” she said. “I can see into their hearts. They are angry, but it is not directed south.”
Fives minutes later, we were on our way.
* * * *
Juleena kept Alta and me in the center of our column, which meant she had to keep herself there, too. I thought that frustrated her, but the situation was delicate. She couldn’t be seen to taking full command, but Alta admitted she was entirely out of her depth.
“I’d ask her to handle it, or the captains,” she added. “But politically that won’t do, either. I can’t ask the Framaran troops to answer to an Altearan captain.”
“This will satisfy,” I said.
True to her word, the Goddess gave periodic updates, which I forwarded. “Five miles, north of the road. Four miles in that direction.” Then at three miles, it was evident we were traveling to an isolated farmhouse away from other villages, but probably not isolated from other farms. We circled together and discussed.
“I could-“
“No,” everyone said. I’d been saying it in Altearan, but Juleena understood enough.
“Well,” said the Goddess. “They didn’t like that.”
“It’s all ridiculous. I am one of the horse people. I can pop on over and pop right back.”
“Can you promise you won’t drop me?”
I thought about it. “No.”
“Until we find the right farm, you need me. If you lose me, though, you’ll have to backtrack to the Heart of the Goddess to get me, and I won’t be pleased about it. My secret will be out.”
“There has to be a road,” Alta said.
“It might be watched,” Juleena said. “But a group this big is going to be noticed. And almost all of us are in uniforms. Even four of us would be noticed.”
“Like I said-“
“No!”
“Fine, fine,” I said, feeling a little ruffled about it. The Goddess turned in the saddle and gave my cheek a kiss, calming me down.
We continued west. It was another mile before we found the road north. By then, the Goddess was saying, “We aren’t getting closer. They’re in that direction.”
Then she said, “Three miles.” She pointed straight up the road.
“Ask her to stop us two miles away,” Juleena said, “or at the first hill she believes give us a view where we’re going.”
That hill came in a half mile. “Stop here,” the Goddess told me. “Climb that hill.” She pointed.
“Juleena!” I called out. Then I turned my stallion. Juleena looked and realized where I was going.
“Captains, keep your men here. Alta, will you watch over both forces?”
“Yes, Juleena.”
And so it was Juleena, the two captains, and the Goddess and me that climbed the hill. And two maids. I had us off our mounts before we reached the top and thrust the reins into Naddí’s hands. “Stay here.”
The rest knew their business, and soon the maids were holding several horses. We walked up the hill, and then crawled through the snow the last forty yards. Well, the humans crawled. The Goddess walked beside me, assured no one would see her.
“Stop us when you think you can see the farm,” I told her. And so she stopped us well short of the top. Then she pointed.
“It’s the only farm in that
direction,” she said. “There are trees between us, and it is some distance still. There are more farms, but this is clearly the right place.”
I translated all that. Juleena said, “I want to see.” The captains agreed. And so we crawled the rest of the way to the top, the Goddess assuring us there were no people about to see us on our stomachs.
Once we reached the top, we cautiously peered over the top.
“It is still two miles,” said the Goddess. “No one is going to see us at this distance.’
“You’d be surprised,” said Juleena. “Someone on a hilltop stands out even at a long distance. I see three farms.”
“Tell her to pick one,” said the Goddess. “Look and point.” Then she moved behind Juleena. “No, not that one. Right. Yes, that one.”
We did that with the captains as well.
The Altearan had a spyglass. He withdrew it and watched for a while, then passed it over. The three of them each got a good look.
“No activity,” said Captain Wellna, the Framaran captain. “I saw smoke from the chimney.”
The three of them discussed the situation. I had to translate, which slowed things down, but the Goddess accepted my apology when I didn’t translate for her as well. “Only tell me the plan when it is decided, but I must approve.”
“Are there others present?” asked Captain Evestía, the Altearan.
“I cannot tell,” said the Goddess. “I am sorry.”
“It doesn’t look big enough for a major operation.”
“It could be a thieves’ den,” Juleena said. “Twenty of them. Do you have those?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” replied Evestía.
Wellna took the spyglass again and watched for a while. “We can’t rule that out, but I don’t think so. I don’t think there are more than ten living there, and probably not that. It’s a family that supplements their income.”
“We can’t be sure,” they agreed.
“I could-“
The three turned to me. “No!”
“Okay, okay!” I said.
Finally Evestía said, “We can’t be sure, but I think it’s a family, perhaps an extended family. We are sixteen of the best from both countries, and we have surprise.”
“They have cover.”
“I think we should surround them and hail the house,” she said. “Princess Juleena, we will use Altearan forces for our front line if your forces can act as our reserves.”
“Normally I would commit twelve and leave four in reserve,” said Juleena. “But I think you’re right this time. But if they fight, I do not believe you want us to hold back.”
The captain studied Juleena for a good thirty seconds. “Use your judgment,” she said in the end. “We are agreed?”
They finished their plan, and then Juleena turned to me. “You will stay here.”
“I will stay with Alta,” I countered.
“Oh hell,” Juleena said. “Alta.”
“We have Naddí and Féla,” I said. “We’ll be fine.”
“You will stay here,” Juleena said. “We will signal you when it is safe.”
All three were resolute, and when I translated, the Goddess said, “Explain the full plan.” They did, and I translated, and she said, “I approve. We will stay here and watch. May we have the spyglass?”
* * * *
Alta joined me at the top of the hill, Féla with her. Naddí stayed with our four horses. Alta and I passed the spyglass back and forth. “I wish Prodótar were here for this,” she said. “I know everything he knows about running the country, but nothing at all about this.”
There weren’t enough Altearans. As we watched, they approached the farmyard, sending two of their number towards the back and two more towards the barn. That left four to hail the house. In the meantime, Juleena spread her forces further, ready to respond in all directions or to chase after stragglers.
I had the spyglass when Captain Evestía hailed the house.
“What’s happening?” Alta asked, then snatched the spyglass from me. “Oh no! Two left by the back. The soldiers are after them.”
I took the spyglass back in time to see them catch one of the people fleeing, but the other slipped past. But the Framarans saw them. Four mounted Framaran soldiers surrounded the fleeing suspect.
Alta stole the spyglass back. A minute later, she yelled, “They caught them.”
We passed it back and forth. But the Goddess was quiet. Then she said, “Yalla! One is getting away. She was in the barn and slipped out the back. Look!”
I snatched the spyglass from Alta. Sure enough, someone was running a horse east, then the rider turned south.
“Alta,” I yelled. “Start screaming for Juleena!” I thrust the spyglass into her hands, wrapped my hand around the Goddess’s wrist, and ran for the horses.
Naddí tried to stop me as I flew into the saddle.
“You’ve seen me ride!” I yelled. “And the Goddess is with me.” I half pulled her into the saddle in front of me. “Hai! Trust! Hai!”
We took off on a wild race across the frozen fields, seeking to cut off the fleeing bandit.
“Point!” I yelled to the Goddess. “Then hang on!”
“Do not get killed, Yalla, or I’ll never forgive you.”
I raced around the hill, and by the time we saw each other, the fleeing bandit -- I saw it was a woman -- was a half mile away, running her horse hard. It wouldn’t last long that way.
We saw each other at the same time, and she cut hard towards the road.
I’m not sure she saw Juleena barreling down on her.
I wheeled Trust and ducked back behind the hill, running in a full gallop for the road.
“She’s winning, Yalla!” yelled the Goddess. “Her horse is faster.”
“Her horse is slowing,” I said.
I ran us right past my companions. Féla was mounted, and as I approach, she spanked Gift’s backside, and soon there were two Arrlottan horses racing across the ground.
The woman had made the road before us and turned in our direction. Féla and I burst onto the road, and I turned Trust hard, cutting behind Féla towards the fleeing bandit. Féla nearly ran off the other side of the road, but she managed to hang on as Gift turned with her.
The woman saw us and spun her horse, but Juleena was rushing after her. She turned off the road, and I cut hard, dashing across the front of Gift and calling for more from Trust.
Her horse was breathing hard. I could see that from this distance, and I knew the gelding had little more left in him. But the bandit was whipping him badly.
And I didn’t have a clue how to fight.
But I had seen a lot of polo games, and I knew what a ride off looked like. I also knew what happens when someone pulled a foot out of a stirrup and lifts.
We came together at an angle. I timed it, lifting my own leg out of the way at the last moment. The horses slammed into each other. We bounced off, but I leaned, and we cut hard back into the other horse’s path. He swerved, and I bent over and pulled up hard on the other woman’s leg.
Then I leaned away and let what was going to happen, happen.
The woman didn’t fall, but her horse stumbled, losing his gait, and then Juleena was there.
“I’ve got it, Yalla!” she screamed at me. “Back off!”
Then her horse, her mighty monster of a warhorse, slammed into the bandit’s horse, and it was no easy ride off, either. Mount and horse went down, and they went down hard.
Trust and I barely got out of the way. I made a grab for the Goddess, but we went one way and she went another. “Yalla!” she screamed at me.
The rest happened in an instant. The gelding screamed, a sound I always hated. The woman screamed, which didn’t bother me at all.
And I screamed. “Prestainamatta!”
Then Juleena vaulted from her saddle, issuing some command to her mount so he didn’t trample the opponent. He was a warhorse, after all. She was on the woman immediately, rolling her o
ver and pinning her to the ground, and wrenching her arms behind her back.
“Yalla!”
“I’m fine!” I said. “I lost the Goddess.” I looked everywhere, but I didn’t see her. She’d gotten too far, I thought, and we’d have to go retrieve her from the Heart of the Goddess. I felt bad about that. She hadn’t wanted people to know that could happen.
Then Féla was there. She tossed me her reins and moved to help Juleena, pulling rope from somewhere. The woman was muttering, cursing, and fighting with Juleena, but between the two of them, they had little trouble with her.
Then Naddí and Alta arrived, riding far more sanely. Naddí gave her reins to Alta and helped secure the prisoner.
“Check her,” Juleena said. “She went down hard.”
“Little High Priestess,” I heard from overhead. “That was exciting.”
I looked up, and the Goddess was floating ten feet over my head. I’d never looked up. “Show off,” I said.
She laughed and drifted down to me, settling into place before me. “You threw me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do it again.”
“I will try very hard not to.”
Then she cocked her head. “One,” she said, pointing to the woman to the ground. “Two, three, four, five, six.” Those were all at the farmhouse, with only a slight difference in direction.
“I think that’s all, Juleena,” I said. Then I sighed. “Will you handle the horse, or do I need to do it?”
Juleena looked where I was pointing. The horse had been a casualty. He was struggling to get up.
“Oh,” said the Goddess. “The poor creature. Come.”
We climbed down, handing off reins. The Goddess led me to the downed horse, coming from behind. He struggled, but the Goddess knelt beside him and set her hands on him. “The horse is innocent of the choices of his rider,” the Goddess said. Then she leaned over the horse’s ear and whispered for a while.
When she rose, the animal was still; he wouldn’t rise again. I stared for a while then turned away.
* * * *
We collected at the farmyard. In all, we had caught eleven people, although two were children, ages ten and one and ten and five.
The house was too small, so we gathered in the barn, our prisoners in a row on the ground with their arms expertly tied.