by H. M. Clarke
“Harada and I have already told you all the reliable information we have on these creatures. It’s not much but the fact that they seem to be fighting with the Arranians has got our superiors worried. After all the Arranian Spellcrafters are supposed to maintain the walls to the Ice Grotto to imprison the IceTigers, not let them go traipsing around with the Arranian Army. The treaties signed by the countries of Alleron demand it since the Arranians did the least to defend against their threat.”
Kalena gave a silent thanks to Samar for giving her this information while she was at dinner. Her knowledge of history was not as good as it should be. But then again, the IceTigers were not supposed to be a threat. Nowadays they are bedtime stories used to frighten children into behaving themselves.
“It helped that the Arranians were the only ones to have Spellcrafters capable of building the Grotto. Once the then King of Suene killed the Tiger Queen, the Combined forces of Alleron drove the IceTigers back to be trapped forever behind the Grotto.” Kral drank again from his cup. “Back then, the land that both Holm and I come from was still an independent nation. The Pasha of Serkritt was a signatory to that treaty, now he’s nothing better than a nursemaid making sure Serkritt stays healthy to supply the Suene Empire.”
Kral was now definitely in a foul mood. It was the only occasion that he bemoans the loss of Serkitt’s independence.
“Kral, Serkritt lost the war with Suene over a century ago and we have not the strength to win back our independence–no matter what the rebels say.” Holm quietly answered. The people from Serkritt are a fierce and independent lot, which is why as Kalarthri they get into the most amount of trouble. The solemn expression on Holm’s face suddenly cleared. “It does make you wonder what’s in it for the Arranians for the Spellcrafters to risk letting the IceTigers free?” Holm said.
Kalena stopped her pacing and shrugged. “You know the old saying Holm ‘It not for us to wonder why it's Kalar like us that do or die.’”
“On that sour note, I think I might take myself to bed.” Kral placed his now empty cup back on the desk and stood to leave. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”
Holm rose quickly from the bed. “I think I’ll go as well. I need to get as much sleep as I can in a soft bed before I have to sleep in a bedroll on the hard ground.”
As Kral opened the door, he turned back to look at Kalena. “You do know who is in command at Foxtern now?”
Kalena shook her head.
“Everyone’s favorite Officer–Captain Jerant.”
“I thought I’d escaped him when Brock removed Jerant after that incident.” Kalena automatically rubbed behind her ear where the Crystal was inserted.
Kral said nothing in reply as he stalked out of the door; Holm followed him with a frown on his face.
Kalena nervously smiled after them as they left her room.
Chapter Six
Speeches
HARADA STOOD SILENTLY at the head of the Muster grounds. The sun had already risen two fingers width above the surrounding mountains and the Wings had only just settled themselves.
The lateness of the Muster was not the Wings fault, but it irked Harada that it should happen in the presence of Captain Vosloo. Colonel Oded had ridden out on the morning after the war council with a select group to return as quickly as possible to his command at Foxtern, leaving Fraser Vosloo to order the disposition of the Legions. Fraser Vosloo had elected to ride with the Wings by day instead of traveling with the land forces, trusting his subordinates to deal with the two Justicars and the day-to-day ordering of the troops. The Captain wanted to evaluate what the Wings are capable of in mountainous terrain.
To Harada’s knowledge, the Flyers have never been sent North to the mountains. Wings are not considered to be a tactical advantage in the high alpine regions.
Ranged around Harada and Vosloo were Wing Commanders Kalena and Adhamh and the Wing Lieutenants of First and Second Wings of Second Flight. Kalena and Adhamh had ‘volunteered’ to carry Vosloo with them until they reached the fortress of Foxtern. Harada had informed them both at breakfast of this, much to Adhamh’s consternation. The Hatar hated carrying non-experienced passengers and Vosloo was a definitely a non-experienced passenger as he had never flown before.
Rested members of the returned Wings stood around the edges of the Muster Grounds to farewell their friends and comrades. Harada could see them all from his vantage point and as he scanned all the faces he had a sense of foreboding as if this would be the last time he would be with the Wings.
In an effort to shake off his worries, Harada turned and gave a small smile to those around him. It was time to get things underway. Time to have the First and Second Wing up in the air and away north.
Fraser Vosloo returned Harada’s smile and gave him a nod to proceed. The Captain would not interfere with the general running of the Wings.
Harada stepped forward on the platform and raised his fist in salute to the two Wings arrayed before him. Sixty men and Hatar swept quickly to attention before returning their commanders salute.
For a moment Harada let the pride he felt for the wings wash over him. He felt there was no better fighting force in Suene much less the rest of Alleron and this mission would be a good chance to show those who consider themselves as better than Kalarthri because they are freeborn that they are very much mistaken.
“Greetings to you all on this fine summer morning.” Harada’s words sounded clear to all those in the Muster Ground.
“Today we start our journey to the Northern borders where, once again, the Arranians are trying to overrun us.” Harada paused as he lowered his raised fist and let his gaze sweep across the ranks. “We will be the ones who will teach them not to make that choice again.”
A cheer went up from the ranks and Harada glanced at his Lieutenants who now stepped forward to join him. That last statement was not strictly true, but it was a good morale booster.
Captain Fraser Vosloo also stepped forward and clapped a hand firmly on Harada’s shoulder in a gesture of support. The cheer from the Muster Ground grew even louder. Then Kalena raised her hands for silence.
“Let’s mount people and beat The One cursed Infantry and Calvary to Foxtern.”
Chapter Seven
Aerial manouvers
‘LEAVE IT BE ADHAMH.’
Kalena felt rather than heard Adhamh’s snort of annoyance. She could hardly hear anything through the howl of the wind and the padded helmet that was tightly strapped around her head.
‘But it’s annoying, how can I concentrate?’
‘What concentration do you need to fly?’
‘But it tickles.’
‘All right, all right!’ Kalena replied in exasperation. She leaned carefully back in the saddle and motioned for the man behind her to lean forward enough to shout where his ear was hidden under the padded ear cover of his helmet.
“Captain. Could you please move your foot from under Adhamh’s wing joints? You’re tickling him.” Kalena shouted at the top of her voice but she could barely hear her words. Captain Vosloo looked at her a moment through his visor before moving both his legs unsteadily closer to Kalena. Both his hands gripped the pommel tightly and Vosloo sat uneasily in the saddle. Even though it was obvious to Kalena that he was uncomfortable in the air, Vosloo still gave her a wide smile.
“Haven’t been much on a Hatar... Don’t know how to sit properly yet.”
Kalena caught most of Captain Vosloo’s reply before it was torn away in the wind. Kalena nodded in acknowledgment and then turned forwards again.
‘Is that better?’
‘Much better. Thank you.’
Kalena’s Wing had only been in the air for half an hour and already they were well beyond the site of their last camp. Below them flowed the start of the Red Plains. The saltbush and the Pampas grass merged into a wide smudge of colors against the deep red of the sand. Behind the Wing marched the ground forces that in Kalena’s imagination would be covered and chokin
g in red dust kicked up by their shuffling feet.
In her mind, Kalena could feel the presence of the Hatar behind her, and she felt glorious in the fact that they and she were away from the prying eyes of the Free Men of the camp. Try as she might, Kalena did not catch sight of her brother or the other Justicar since the Wings had joined the land forces yesterday. Kalena was dying to ask Videan for news of their parents but she was mindful of the Provost Marshal’s warning.
What Kalena remembered of her brother, he was probably malicious enough to have her beaten just for looking at him. But he might also tell her the news that she wanted.
The two wings were in the air from near dawn to dusk with only a quick set down at noon for a meal. Flight Commander Harada had the Wings practicing formation and maneuvers as well as their long range scouting abilities that will be their main use once they reach Foxtern and the Northern Ranges.
This morning the Captain had asked to be shown what aerial maneuvers the Wing could do, so Kalena had spent the afternoon ‘educating’ him.
After a moment of silence, Kalena gestured to her passenger to hold tightly to his saddle. She then issued the command to Adhamh.
The Hatar gave one mighty down sweep before suddenly tucking his wings tightly against himself and leaning his body earthwards into a steep dive.
Kalena leaned back in the saddle and gave a loud whoop of sheer joy at the feel of the speeding wind on her body. Around her, she could hear the voices of the other Hatar of her Wing whistling through the air around her as they followed Adhamh in his sudden dive and she could feel rather than see that the rest of her Wing was in perfect formation.
Then Kalena became aware of a pressure in the small of her back and smiled to herself as the Captain’s hands twisted tighter around her flight belt. Kalena felt a twinge of guilt at doing this to him but in the air, she and Adhamh were in command and Kalena wanted the Captain to truly understand this.
Giving him the practical is quicker than drubbing in the theory.
‘Adhamh, we better pull out now. The ground is getting a little to close.’
‘Right.’
Adhamh stretched out his wings and as his flight feathers caught the updraft, they began slowly to glide upwards.
Kalena looked at the sky about her and was satisfied to see that the entire Wing had come out of their dives perfectly. Each Hatar moved through the air in perfect synchronization with each other.
‘Adhamh. It’s time we returned to the main force and rendezvous with Harada’s Wing,’
‘Yes Kalena.’
Kalena listened as Adhamh sent out the orders to the other Hatar. She caught a glimpse of red and turned to see Trar and Tayme slip into position to her right. Kalena raised her hand in acknowledgment and turned to her left to acknowledge blue Motta and Lunman.
‘Let’s make it a leisurely trip back,’ Kalena suggested. This would be the perfect opportunity to get to know Captain Fraser Vosloo.
Kalena could hear the wind whistle recede as Adhamh slowed his forward momentum. She could feel the movement of the Hatar’s huge wing muscles behind her thighs. Impulsively, she gave him a hard scratch along his neck feathers.
‘Thanks.’
‘You nearly lost him with that dive Kalena,’ Adhamh said. ‘Also remind him to not tuck his boots under my wings.’
Kalena laughed out loud and loosened her flight jacket around her waist now that the wind did not try to rip it from her back.
“We’ve finished for the day and are on our way back towards the column,” she said as she adjusted herself in the double saddle to look at her passenger. He had quickly removed his hands from her belt once Adhamh had pulled out from the dive. The Captain now sat straight in the saddle as if he was riding a horse. Kalena was pleased to see that as she turned back, Vosloo had remembered Adhamh’s former request to move his feet from beneath the Hatar’s wing joints.
“How did they go?” The Captain asked curiously as if he had been doing this all of his life.
“Very well,” Kalena said guardedly. She knew that there was a chance that she could have pushed the Captain too far today (though she could have put him through worse). He is her commanding officer and if he saw things differently, she could be severely punished. But Kalena stared defiantly at him, daring him to say something derogatory about her Wing.
‘I wouldn’t push him too far if I were you,’ Adhamh suddenly said. ‘You may be a Wing Commander now but you are still Kalarthri and he can do whatever he wants to you as an officer of the emperor.’
‘I know Adhamh. But there is just something about him that makes me know he won’t.’
Adhamh answered her with a silence thick with worry. But after a moment said, ‘There is something about him that is different from most men. The Captain reminds me in a way of Prince Garrick.’
“Maybe that’s what it is,” Kalena replied aloud to herself and then noticed that Captain staring back at her with a frown. “I was just having a word with Wing Commander Adhamh,” Kalena smiled as she again scratched at the feathers along the Hatar’s neck.
Kalena was used to seeing that look on the faces of non-flyers whenever she had come out of a conversation. It has always been that way since the Krytal. Automatically Kalena pushed a finger under the ear cover of her helm and rubbed the place behind her ear where the Crystal was implanted. She could feel no bump and knew that there was no scar to even show that it had happened. But somehow, inside of her, Kalena could feel every molecule of the Crystal as it continually renewed itself inside of both herself and Adhamh.
“Sir, you did well for a first timer if you do not mind my compliment,” Kalena said taking her hand away from under the steel of the helm.
“It’s a big change from riding a horse.”
Adhamh suddenly let forth a snort of disgust that vibrated from his chest through the legs and bodies of both riders.
‘I am not a horse,’ Adhamh’s voice snaked into Kalena’s thoughts. Kalena ignored him.
“Hatar is the only way to travel Captain.”
Captain Vosloo gave her a grin before glancing around them again. Kalena noted that the gaze of the Captain did not look down.
“You are related to Justicar Tsarland.” Captain Vosloo‘s tone made this a statement, not a question.
Kalena was taken aback at this sudden reference to Videan. Surely the Captain could easily find this information. But of course, the Captain would not ask the Justicar himself or, have his inquiries heard by Justicar Inman. Perhaps the Captain wanted to quiz her for information about her brother, as he is now the associate of Inman.
“Yes, Sir. Justicar Tsarland is my older brother.”
Captain Vosloo’s face did not change, as if he had expected her answer.
“How old were you when the Provosts came to claim you as Kalarthri?”
The confused whirling of Kalena’s mind suddenly stilled. What was he leading to? He should just come out and say what was on his mind.
“I was ten years old. High Provost Deten and Provost Thurad came for me and took me away to the jeering of my brother Videan. I’ve never forgiven him for that.” Kalena suddenly fell silent. She did not mean to say so much about that moment. She did not like to think of the day she was taken. It was the last time she had seen her parents. It was the day she saw her father beaten, and she had worried for him many months after until Provost Thurad had come through Darkon and gave her the news that both her parents were well and prosperous. She did not get to say goodbye to Mama and Papa.
Kalena’s answer sent the Captain’s mind buzzing. She watched as his face transformed in thought.
“You were gone before it happened then,” he said softly to himself but Kalena heard it.
“Before what ha...” Kalena caught her response to late but Vosloo waved her question aside. He was treating her more like an equal than Kalarthri.
“Now is not the time to talk. I will find time for that later,” Vosloo looked at her earnestly and Kalena grew u
ncomfortable under his scrutiny, she sensed there was something else lurking behind the Captain’s gaze. She could feel the whispering of his mind brush against hers and Kalena instinctively closed her mind to it. She had spent years hiding her talent and did not want to risk being caught listening to the mind talk of a Freeman, let alone a superior officer. Fraser Vosloo was a man whose respect Kalena craved.
“We shall speak more on this tonight with Flight Commander Harada. I think it is time for you to be inducted,” Vosloo said, dragging his gaze away from Kalena’s face.
“Inducted?” Kalena suddenly realized that, while not under the eyes of others, she could speak her mind to Fraser Vosloo without repercussions. In that gaze, an understanding had passed between them.
“Wait until tonight after dinner. You will then find answers to some if not all of your questions.” Vosloo’s tone told her that he would say no more on the subject during their flight home.
Kalena’s curiosity was now raised and she could not wait until night descended and the evening meal was ready.
Chapter Eight
Visions
KALENA THREW ANOTHER log on the fire and watched as sparks erupted from the coals to drift away in the smoke. Night on the plains had come quickly and with it followed the cold whose chill was legendary among the Suenese.
Pulling the sheepskin coat tighter around her, Kalena then held her gloved hands out to the flames. The sounds of the clanking of cooking pots and of laughter and talk surrounded Kalena and her fire. The Kalarthri camp was pitched a distance downwind from the Freeman Camp under the pretext that the smell of the Kalar and Hatar disturbed their horses. But Kalena knew that the Justicars had commanded that the human and feathered mind readers be set apart from them.
They probably were worried in case the Kalar could somehow read their thoughts. There was only one Kalar that she knew of who could do that, and she was not going to risk it.