One morning Alex awoke and saw three wagons sitting at the edge of their campsite. Over traditional morning coffee, Alex asked Oscar why the wagons were there. Oscar explained that they were Tulek’s wagons probably bound for some city in Cordonia. The inspectors would hold them up for three days and check every parcel in every wagon. Tulek ranted and raved every time this happened. His deliveries would be delayed and he had to pay for the drivers and guards while they sat around waiting. He had even sent letters to the King, but nothing ever happened to change the practice. The King would send an inquiry to the Baron. The Baron would summon his Regional Commander. The Regional Commander would demand an answer from the Garrison Commander at the stockade. The Garrison Commander would summon Reese or Elwin, the Customs Inspectors. Reese or Elwin would explain that they had reason to suspect there was contraband on board, had held the wagons for inspection, had found nothing and let the wagons pass.
“Do they do this for all of the wagons that come through?” questioned Alex.
“No,” replied Oscar. “Elwin and my father were close friends. He is convinced that is was Tulek’s boys that killed my father. He hates Tulek and will do anything he can to cause him grief.”
Alex looked over at the wagons. Reese was inside one of the wagons handing out packages to Elwin. Alex noticed that Elwin had a long scar on his face, running from his brown hair down to his jawbone, and asked Oscar about it.
“Sometimes the inspectors get some unruly travelers,” answered Oscar. “Smuggling is a hanging offense and when they get caught at it, they’ll go for their weapons. Elwin was a little slow once. He says my father killed the attacker and saved his life, but I was too young to remember.”
Alex joined the boys at the dry goods store. The addition was completed and they had to clean up the site so that Nolan could start painting. Now they would be able to finish up Marta’s house. Within two weeks they would be leaving Bordon, heading into the Garrett Region where they planned to set up the new village. They had managed to procure just about everything they needed except for livestock. They would be able to buy livestock nearer the village, providing they had money.
In the evening everyone was sitting around the campfire as usual. Reese once again had joined the group. He seemed to be spending quite a bit of time with Carlene recently. The villagers were starting to get excited at the prospect of finally founding their new village and spirits were high.
Suddenly a scream split the night. Alex wasn’t sure where it had come from, but Reese took off for the wagons. Elwin came charging out of his stone building and also headed for the wagons, his sword drawn. Alex ran. One of the wagon guards was holding Marga against the wagon. As Alex saw Reese and Elwin converge on the wagon, the other two guards pulled their swords to protect their friend. The drivers ran to the center of the road to indicate that they were not involved. The inspectors were afraid to advance lest the guards harmed the girl. It was a standoff.
Larc came running over to Alex and handed him his bow. Larc then grabbed two of Laman’s homemade arrows and with his knife chopped off the sharpened points. Alex understood and said, “I’ve got the one on the right.”
Both boys fired at the same time. Alex’s blunted arrow struck his guard in the forehead and the guard collapsed to the ground. Larc’s arrow hit his guard in the chest. The guard dropped his sword and staggered backwards. Elwin and Reese rushed in. Reese held his sword to the chest of the disarmed guard, while Elwin had his pressed against the throat of the guard holding Marga. Laman and Kyle rushed over and gathered the guards’ swords.
Oscar must have immediately run to the stockade because he was already on his way back with half a dozen soldiers. Marga ran to her mother and the village women gathered around to comfort her. After reviving the guard Alex had shot, the soldiers led the three captives away.
“That was quick thinking, Larc,” praised Alex.
“And good shooting,” added Reese. “If you boys ever decide to join the army, let me know. I’d be proud to sponsor you.”
The drivers made a point of coming over to the campfire and apologizing for the guards. They wanted to make it clear that they had nothing to do with the affair and were glad that the guards were arrested and wouldn’t be going to Kalamaar with them. They then returned to their wagons and avoided the villagers.
Knowing very little about Cordonia, Alex asked Reese about Kalamaar. Reese told him that Kalamaar was a very large city in Cordonia. It was a seaport about a week’s ride by wagon. It was the capital of the Kalamaar Province and had a very large market.
The campsite returned to normal. Marga had not been harmed and the event would have been a minor one had the guards not drawn their weapons. As it was, they would be spending some time in jail.
In the morning, Ramor came striding into the campsite looking for Alex. Alex saw him coming and figured it might be trouble.
“You villagers have cost me three guards and a delay in my shipment,” stated Ramor. “How do you plan to repay me?”
The rest of the boys had gathered beside Alex, and it was Oscar who replied. “Repay you? You don’t seem to have a firm grasp of the situation, Ramor. Alex here saved you money. You were about to pay for guards that weren’t worth the money you were paying them. You are very fortunate that they blunted their arrows before shooting or you would have had three dead guards. And I’m sure you know what would have happened if your guards had killed another inspector before Alex intervened.”
“Another inspector?” spat Ramor. “Tulek Shipping had nothing to do with your father’s death and you know it. You do make a good case against the guards though. Defeated by a bunch of boys! You must handle that bow rather well, Alex. If I remember correctly, you were looking for some work a while back. You could repay me by guarding my shipment to Kalamaar and back.”
“And what remuneration are you offering for this service?” asked Alex.
“Ah, you want to be paid as well?” chided Ramor. “Very well, I’ll give you fifty crowns each for three guards.”
“Fifty crowns!” laughed Oscar. “You paid those fools one hundred crowns each and they would have never made it to Kalamaar. No, Ramor, I’m sure I could talk Alex into guarding your precious cargo for two hundred crowns each. You might be able to do better elsewhere, but I’m sure that your wagons are ready to proceed today. Of course, without guards, you would be a fool to allow the wagons to leave. Getting replacement guards might take you two or three days.”
“Alex, do you let this little viper speak for you?” asked Ramor. “Certainly, you will be more reasonable in your demands.”
“Actually, Ramor,” answered Alex, “the six hundred crowns would be helpful to the village, but I’m not sure we have the two weeks to spare for the trip. Give me an hour to think it over and I’ll give you an answer.”
“Not in this lifetime, villager,” spat Ramor. He turned and stormed back down the road.
“Sorry, Oscar,” said Alex. “I thought I saw the game you were playing and pressed it too far.”
“Not at all, Alex,” laughed Oscar, “I couldn’t have done better myself. We had better start making up our packs. I doubt Ramor will give us the full hour.”
“You think he will still want to hire us?” asked Alex. “And what do you mean we?”
“You don’t think I’m letting you go without me, do you? I’ve always wanted to see Kalamaar,” said Oscar. “I might be able to make some contacts there for my own shipping company. Besides without me along, you might get yourself into trouble.”
“Okay,” conceded Alex, “four hundred crowns for the village is better than what I would have asked for anyway.”
Half an hour later, Tulek himself arrived. “What is this arrogance, young man? You dispose of my guards, negotiate an outrageous fee, and still refuse to guard my shipment? Here is your six hundred crowns. Now get those wagons rolling.”
“Yes sir,” replied Alex, “We’ll leave within fifteen minutes. You can count on us, sir
.”
Satisfied, Tulek turned and headed down the road. Alex couldn’t contain his laughter. “Oscar,” he snickered, “I’m not sure whether it’s more dangerous having an enemy like you or a Yaki. Larc, get your stuff together. You’re coming with me and our verbal warrior.”
Eddie gave Oscar his bow and quivers and the boys headed for the wagons. The drivers were congregated at the second wagon and appeared to be in a jovial mood. They were an odd-looking group. From the ages of the drivers, they could have been three generations of the same family, but their appearances couldn’t have been farther apart. Fram, the lead driver, was an ancient, wrinkled, gray-haired man. Jerrick, in the middle wagon, was a twenty year old whose tanned muscular body indicated that he had been doing outdoor labor for some time. He had thick, dark hair, which hung down over his ears and forehead. The last wagon was driven by Gidas, a middle-aged, short, scrawny man with thinning hair.. The boys paired off with drivers, Alex taking the lead wagon and Larc taking the last, leaving the middle wagon to Oscar.
The wagons pulled out of the field and the villagers waved goodbye. By the time the boys returned to Bordon, Marta’s new and larger house would be completed. It would then be time to gather their supplies and start the final leg of their travels to their new home. For now, they were headed for Kalamaar.
“You’re a quiet one, aren’t you,” commented Fram.
“Sorry,” said Alex. “I was just thinking of the villagers and what they’ve been through. They’ve lost everything, and yet they were so cheerful, waving as we left.”
“You’re a sentimental one, too, then,” added Fram. “That’s good, Alex. I saw last night what you could do and I prefer to have that kind of courage in a man who cares about others. Those dogs that you helped run in last night were a bad lot. I’ve ridden with them before. They’d cut your throat for a couple of crowns and it always gave me an uneasy feeling riding with them. You’d never know if they had sold out to bandits or not.”
“Are there many problems with bandits on this route?” asked Alex.
“More than most routes,” explained Fram, “though I’ve had many a trip with no encounters. The important thing, though, are your guards and old Tulek normally employs those with good skills. If you do run into bandits, you either live or die by the skills of your guards.”
“Surely the bandits won’t hurt the drivers,” said Alex. “I mean all they’re after is the cargo and if they can scare off the guards, they can take the cargo and leave. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“Ah, lad,” sighed Fram, ‘that’s not the way it works here. You won’t be using any blunted arrows on this trip. I’d a thought Ramor would’ve explained that much to you. If we run across any bandits, it will be them or us. They take no prisoners; they leave no witnesses. No lad, if we are attacked they will kill us all, but let’s not dwell on such unpleasantness. I’ve run this route for thirty years and I plan to run it a few more. Have you ever been to Kalamaar before?”
“No,” replied Alex, “I’ve heard it mentioned in conversations, but all I know of it, I learned last night from one of the inspectors.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat then, lad,” laughed Fram. “It’s probably bigger than any city you have ever seen. I remember the first trip I made to Kalamaar…”
Alex was lost in thought. He had never killed a man before and did not look forward to starting now. Sure, he had threatened Oscar, but it had just been a threat. He was angry and yelling at Oscar had been his vent to let off steam. Oh, he had been mad enough to get into a serious brawl, but killing a man, that was something else. He wondered if he could do it if he was forced to defend the caravan. And what about Larc and Oscar? Perhaps he was in over his head.
“…and we had to carry him back to the wagon,” Fram was saying. “Ho, now, I think I lost my audience. Okay, lad, I’ll give it a rest for a while.”
“I’m sorry, Fram,” replied Alex, “there’s a lot passing through my mind.”
The first day of the trip was uneventful. Alex liked Fram and felt sure that the feeling was mutual. Fram was a wealth of information. Fram knew practically every foot of the road; when to move left or right to avoid rough areas. The trip certainly was very beautiful. The road was in the forest, but ran along the coast of the Targa Sea. Alex was mesmerized by the size of the sea and thrilled by the abundant wildlife in the forest. They had only seen two other travelers the entire day, some local farmers moving livestock.
The caravan camped the first night in a clearing by the sea. Fram and Gidas laid out the campsite while Jerrick’s duty was to prepare the meal. The boys went off into the woods for some archery practice. Oscar did not have much experience with a bow and Alex labored to make him as good a shot as possible. Alex also explained the use of the reed and quills and cautioned Oscar on the importance of slow, deliberate movements when employing the blowgun. Alex mentioned his conversation with Fram and the knowledge that they may be called upon to kill bandits. Larc merely nodded, while Oscar confirmed that Reese had told him that they never found survivors of raids.
Throughout the practice the boys revealed their conversations with the other drivers. It was evident that Oscar liked Jerrick. Jerrick had been a driver for three years, but this was his first time on the Bordon-Kalamaar run. He had last been on the Balfour-Bordon run with Gidas when they had been attacked. The lead driver had been killed and the guards deserted. Jerrick had hidden in the forest as drivers are instructed to do when attacked. When it was all over, Gidas and Jerrick had to walk the rest of the way to Bordon. Jerrick was sure that they would be fired, but Gidas blamed everything on the deserting guards, claiming they must have been in on it. Ramor had said he suspected the guards were no good and would give Gidas and Jerrick a chance on this run.
Larc indicated that Gidas was a pretty sour sort of man. He didn’t talk much and when he did it was normally with a fairly foul vocabulary. He had grumbled about having to break in new guards while following some old fool and a kid. Larc had gotten the impression that Gidas knew the guards who had been arrested the previous night and that they had been the only thing about this trip that Gidas had liked. Gidas had also inquired about the additional small quiver each of the boys had. Larc wasn’t sure why, but he had told Gidas that it was a religious thing prominent in some of the small villages in the Gordo Region.
The boys had about an hour of practice before Jerrick called that dinner was ready. Alex cautioned the other boys that they might be in over their heads. He told them to keep their ears open and to hold to Larc’s story on the small quivers.
Dinner was pleasant and Jerrick proved to be a competent cook. The animals were accustomed to the invasion of humans in their midst. Alex was pleased to hear the familiar sounds of the forest again. Fram captivated the boys with selected tales of his thirty years experience. He was, indeed, a gifted storyteller.
Morning came early for the caravan. Fram had them up and moving before the sun rose. The trip was enjoyable for Alex. The forest smells mixed with the scent of the sea and the warm sun beating on his face, gave Alex a feeling of serenity. Fram’s stories were quite amusing and educational. The old weathered man was a wealth of information and Alex was always full of questions. Fram always seemed thankful that Alex was actually interested in what he had to say. Alex assumed that most of the guards employed by Tulek would have told the old man to shut up on the first day.
Each night the boys would go off into the woods for archery practice while the drivers took turns setting up the campsite and cooking dinner. Gidas was a fair cook, not as appetizing as Jerrick, but the boys looked forward to another meal created by Fram. The silver-haired driver had a unique way of preparing food that seemed to tantalize the taste buds. Fram cooked the second night and it was his turn again tonight, so the boys were excited.
During the practice each night the boys would compare information received from the drivers during the day. Jerrick had wanted to join the army when he was
younger, but had failed to find a sponsor. He had roamed around for a couple of years doing odd jobs before he was finally hired as a driver three years ago. He now enjoys the travel and gave up his aspirations of being a soldier. Gidas was rather tight lipped and had more questions about the boys than information he wished to share. Fram, on the other hand, would tell much more than you wished to know. Fram called and the boys hurried to the campsite.
Food supplies for the trip had been loaded with the cargo in Bordon, so the guards did not have to hunt for food during the journey. Each driver could select the food for cooking duties during the trip. Fram created a beef dish with a wine and berry sauce. The wine and berry flavors fought for supremacy in combining with the flavor of the beef. The result was that each bite had a slightly different taste and all of them were excellent. The old man’s eyes crinkled with each compliment. Oscar thought Fram would be better suited as a chef in an expensive inn and said so. Fram laughed and said he loved the travel his job allowed him, but when he was no longer able to drive, he would love to cook. Fram once again captivated the group with his stories until it was time to turn in.
Alex awoke with a start. Thinking that he must have been awakened by some sound, he listened intently. He heard nothing. He heard no sounds, no animals. The animals had grown accustomed to their presence hours ago, so something else had disturbed them. He quickly rose and grabbed his bow and quivers. He woke the others and cautioned them to be silent. Gidas was missing. Perhaps he was being overly cautious. Maybe Gidas had gone to relieve himself and startled the animals. Still, he motioned the group into the woods away from the road. He sent Fram and Jerrick deeper into the woods and told them to keep down. After a short while, Gidas came strolling into the camp, loudly demanding to know where everyone was. Alex didn’t answer.
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