by AC Cobble
“I’m not sure. Meghan is in there and Alistair is with her. You were with them all night last night. What happened?”
“Nothing that foretold this,” replied Ben. “They were more focused on their plans than anything going on in Farview. After the first couple of moments, they mostly ignored me. At the end of the night when we found out the woman was a mage, she did go to the Pinewood’s estate to look at Brandon. Something must have happened then.”
While they were talking, the crowd was growing restless. Alistair Pinewood was known by everyone in Farview but loved by few. His daughter Meghan, on the other hand, was loved by everyone who had ever met her. While Alistair was cold, businesslike, and a hoarder of gold, Meghan was caring and always willing to help those in need. When someone in Farview was facing hard times, they went to Meghan Pinewood first. There weren’t a lot of people in the tight knit community who would turn their back on her if she was in need.
Ben grabbed Serrot and pulled him along into the crowd. He had to get closer and find out what was really happening. Ben couldn’t reconcile the people he met last night with the idea of kidnapers.
As they pushed their way to the front of the crowd, they found Blevin Beerman pacing back and forth on the porch of the lodging house.
“Blevin, what’s going on in there?” shouted Ben.
“I don’t know! About two bells ago, Alistair and Meghan came bustling on up here. Meghan looked like she was packed to leave and Alistair was beside himself. Right as they were going in the door, he saw me and yelled to get everyone I could, that they were taking his daughter.”
The men around Ben and Serrot shouted in anger when they heard Blevin speak. They’d obviously heard the story several times now and were getting more and more worked up with each telling. Soon, they would work themselves up to doing something stupid. Something was not right, but this didn’t sound like any kidnapping that Ben had heard of. Meghan and Alistair walked in on their own.
Ben shared a look with Serrot and could tell he was thinking the same thing. “Come on, let’s go in there and find out what’s really going on before something happens that we all regret.”
The crowd settled down a little bit as Ben and Serrot crossed the wide planks of the porch and opened the stout pine door of the lodging house.
The situation was clear as soon as they entered the room. Meghan was there with a heavy travel pack just like Blevin had said. She was Ben’s adopted sister, and he could read her every expression. She had a determined look on her face and maybe some worry, but certainly no outright fear. Whatever was happening, it was clear to Ben that she had decided to be a part of it. The five strangers were also there and outfitted for a journey. Alistair was sitting on a chair in the middle of the room with his head in his hands. He looked up as Ben and Serrot entered. Angry red framed his eyes.
“They’re taking her Ben,” he sobbed. “I thought I had lost one child. I found a way to save him only to end up losing the other.”
Meghan stepped forward and pleaded, “Father, you are not losing me. I have to go for a time but I will be back. I will be fine.”
“Back? Back when? Everything you know will be gone. I will be dead!” Alistair wailed.
Meghan shot Ben and Serrot an apologetic look and placed her hand on her father’s shoulder. “I will be back.”
The woman lifted her pack and growled, “I’ve lost patience with this. We’re losing daylight and have a schedule to keep.” She looked meaningfully at Meghan. “We’re leaving now.”
Alistair shuddered in another wave of sobbing. Ben had never seen him like this, even when he thought Brandon was on death’s doorstep. Where was Meghan going that he thought he would never see her again? Alistair was a man who was used to controlling every aspect of his own life and many of the lives around him. What had shaken him so that he lost control like this?
Meghan, the woman, and the rest of the party started strapping on their packs, adjusting ties, and settling their gear to leave.
Alistair shot up from the chair and shouted, “Wait, wait!”
He turned to Ben and demanded, “Ben, you must go with them. Escort her to the city, stay with her, and come back when you know she’s safe. However long it takes. Brandon doesn’t have the strength for it yet. You’re the only one I can trust.”
Ben looked around the room. His head was spinning, but it was slowly starting to come together. The travel plans Saala and Amelie had been discussing and Alistair’s frantic despair at Meghan leaving. He had not had the time or the clear head to consider everything last night. The woman being a mage was the last puzzle piece. They were going to THE City. In the stories, the City was rumored to be the seat of power of all Alcott’s mages.
Not even Old Gamson claimed to know where the City was. It was like wyverns, something told to entertain children. Serious people doubted the City existed at all.
But despite that, Ben could tell from the looks on Meghan and Alistair’s faces, they were convinced that it did indeed exist. And Meghan was planning to go there.
Ben was still considering the implications of the mythical City being real when Rhys winked at him and said to the group, “He did fend off a demon and save that kid. I don’t think he’ll slow us down much.”
Meghan added breathlessly, “Ben, you should come. Think about the adventure!”
The woman shook her head and glared around the room before shrugging. “Fine, but he’s not my responsibility.”
She looked at Ben and instructed, “We’ll stay at the Waystation tomorrow night and leave in the morning. If you are there, you can come with us. If not, we’ll leave you behind.”
With that, she cinched tight one final strap on her pack and barked, “We’ve wasted enough time in this town. We’re leaving. Now.” She then headed out the door. Meghan spared one last look at Ben and her father. Then she too was gone with the rest of the party behind her.
The three remaining men in the room sat in stunned silence. The strangers were a whirlwind that had turned their world upside down. A mage, a blademaster, and the City. Suddenly, Farview seemed like a very small place.
Serrot was the first to speak. “Ben, are you really going with them?”
From his expression, Ben could tell that Serrot would have left in an instant. The thrill of adventure was almost overpowering. But, as badly as he wanted to go, Ben realized it was impossible.
“I can’t. Who would tend to the brewery? I don’t even know how long I’d be gone or where they’re going! And how could I afford to eat and stay at inns? It’s expensive to travel and I don’t have that kind of money.”
Alistair shook himself and pleaded, “You have to go. Those people don’t care about Meghan. She’s been a sister to you. You have to take care of her!”
Ben hesitated.
Alistair saw his chance. “The brewery is yours. You go with them and bring back word that she’s safe. and it’s all yours. I’ll even take care of your travel.” Alistair stripped off his belt pouch and spilled the contents on the oak table. A pile of gold, silver, and copper coins with a smattering of tin bits lay there. It was more money than Ben had ever handled, and by a quick count, it was at least four times more than he had saved behind a loose plank in the back of his room.
The thought of owning the brewery free and clear had always been a dream, but one he was not sure he’d ever achieve. Coupled with the prospect of travelling outside of Farview and seeing the world, he didn’t even consider the dangers and unanswered questions before placing a hand on the pile of coins.
“You better move fast, Ben. If they’re leaving the Waystation in two days, you need to get packed. You get what you need and I’ll meet you west of town at the Callach Road.” Serrot slapped him on the back as they both ran out the door. “I’m going to miss having you around here but damn if you don’t have all the luck. You, the open road, and two beautiful highborn ladies to keep you company.”
Serrot guffawed and shook his head as he turned ac
ross the green toward his family’s cottage. Ben started trotting back to his room, already planning what he would need for a long journey and how much of it he could actually fit into his rucksack.
3
The Road
Ben quickened his pace as night fell. He had descended from the mountains by the Callach Road, which followed the river of the same name. Closer to Murdoch’s, the terrain was heavily wooded and the deep shadows were ominous for someone who weeks before met a demon in a similar forest. Before the demon, Ben was comfortable in the woods, but it would be a little while before he had any desire to be alone in them after dark now.
Back in Farview, he had given little thought to his decision to follow Meghan and the strangers on this journey. Alone on the road with nothing but his own thoughts for company, he was questioning his decision. He thought back to the series of events that led him to be marching at night on this deserted road to accompany people he did not know to a place he recently wasn’t sure he believed in.
The strangers were in Farview for less than a day and their visit was a blur. There were still unanswered questions. Why had Meghan agreed to leave and why these five seemingly disparate strangers were travelling together? He nearly stumbled as he came to the disconcerting realization that he didn’t even know the mage’s name.
When he left Farview, none of these questions seemed important. His entire focus was on preparing to leave and wondering what else was out there. If mages and the City were real, what other truths lay hidden in some far-fetched story?
Ben barely had time to say goodbye to Serrot before he left. They met just outside of town on the Callach River Bridge. Serrot gave Ben a cheesecloth-wrapped package of food his mother had thrown together when she heard Ben was leaving. He also gave Ben his favorite hunting knife. It was nearly the length of Ben’s forearm and forged of high quality steel. Serrot spent several silver pieces on it, it was the most valuable thing he owned. Ben almost refused, but he could see that would have upset Serrot. He regretted he did not have an equal gift to give in return. Instead, he asked Serrot to look after the brewery for him and promised he would make it up to him when he got back.
That meeting already seemed ages ago and in a different life. He knew he’d miss Serrot and his other friends, but he decided that until the end of this journey and until he returned home, his life was the road and his focus would be ahead.
It was three bells after dark when he finally saw the lights at the Waystation. He’d been pressing hard since before daylight and his legs felt like he was moving heavy logs instead of numb feet. A day of hard work was not unusual for Ben, but marching that long was a difficult day for anyone. With only half a day on the road yesterday, he didn’t have time for anything else. He was spurred by fear that he would arrive at the Waystation and somehow miss his companions.
He started down the final hill before the Waystation and saw its scale laid out in front of him. Even though the only permanent residents were Murdoch, his family, and his employees, the huge inn and surrounding buildings were larger than anything in Farview. The Waystation was built to accommodate several merchant trains at once and had the space to do so. There were horse corrals, a wagon yard, a barn, a timber mill, a warehouse for merchants to temporarily store their goods, and a general store that supplied travelers and small towns for fifty leagues in every direction.
The inn itself was a massive log structure that included a tavern, quarters for all of the Waystation staff, and could sleep two hundred guests. It was likely only a quarter full at this time of year. During the fall harvest, it was said you had to pay up to five coppers for a bed. No one from Farview ever visited then, of course.
In the wagon yard, Ben saw there was at least one merchant train there and as he got closer, he could tell from the raucous noise pouring out of the tavern that they were cutting loose. He could hear a fiddle, drums, and some type of pipes. From outside, he couldn’t tell if they were playing together or just playing. Whatever they were doing though, it was popular with the crowd. Enthusiastic, off-key singing broke out when they started a new verse.
Ben was greeted with a wave of sound as he strode up the creaky pine-plank steps and into the open door. It was early spring, and this far down the mountains, it was pleasantly cool outside. Inside, it was unpleasantly warm with roaring fires at both ends of the hall. One was in an actual fireplace and had an elk turning on a spit. The other was in an open pit on the floor and involved a game where drunken men leapt over the flames.
A serving girl appeared at his side and explained, “Aye, a strange one that. Last spring the fools lit up a bonfire outside and started jumping over it. Murdoch had ’em bring it inside, wrote out some rules, and sales of ale are up twenty percent. I don’t understand it,” she said with a shrug. “Take a seat lad and I’ll be by in a moment for your order.”
A spray of bright orange sparks soared upward as a leaping man caught a flaming log with his foot. Laughter and jeers rang out as the man tumbled to the ground, rolling quickly away from the heat. Another man tossed a fresh log onto the blaze and the fallen man was doused with half drank ales when he stumbled to his feet cursing. Ben smirked when he heard the crowd calling for the man to buy a fresh round for the remaining competitors who’d just soaked him. Murdoch writing out the rules and the spike in sales of ale wasn’t that great of a mystery.
After a quick scan of the rest of the room, he found Rhys, Saala, and the girls at a table watching the progress of the game. Rhys kicked out a chair as Ben approached and drawled, “Glad you made it. Take a breather and get some ale and stew if that wench ever comes back. It’s all fish and wine down on the coast.”
Saala rolled his eyes at Rhys and shook his head. “I’m sure she’d be back more often if you didn’t inquire about ‘extra services’ every time she came by.”
Rhys grinned and took a swig of his ale.
“C-Coast? What coast? I thought we were taking the Kingdom Highway,” stammered Ben. On the lonely walk down the mountain, he thought he’d figured out which way they were headed. Apparently he was wrong.
Saala replied, “We’ll head toward Fabrizo. From there, we’ll take a ship across the bay to Whitehall. From Whitehall, we’ll cross the Snowmar Pass, go down the Sineook Valley, and follow the Venmoor River to the City. It would take an extra month to go by the Kingdom Highway.”
The three girls smiled at Ben as he sat down and the woman scowled, which Ben took to be her permanent expression.
“Now that you’ve decided to join us, let’s get a few things straight,” the woman said. No pause for pleasantries with her. “First, my name is Karina Towaal. You should refer to me as Lady Towaal. Second, I am in charge of this group, and as long as you accompany us, you will follow my instructions. Fail to do as you are told and we will leave you behind.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw Meghan grinning. He surmised she had also gotten this talk recently.
“Third,” continued Towaal. “Our task is to deliver these girls to the City unharmed. Your part in that enterprise is to remain out of my way. Do you understand and agree to these conditions?”
“Yes Lady Towaal,” answered Ben.
Lady Towaal leaned back, apparently saying all she wanted to and having no further interest in conversation. The girls, on the other hand, were excited to have a new companion and gushed about how happy they were he was joining them. Ben couldn’t help a smile from forming on his face while watching Amelie and Meredith talk. A long journey in this company suited him just fine.
It was already late and they planned an early start in the morning, so Ben shoveled down a bowl of hot stew. Saala and Rhys said he could share their room. The girls were in an adjacent room.
As they were in the hall going to the rooms, Meghan caught his arm and whispered in his ear, “Meet me back in the common room in a quarter bell.”
Ben threw his travel pack on the bed and made an excuse to Saala and Rhys to duck back out of the room. He went to w
ait for Meghan. As he waited, he watched the rest of the common area. The music had died down from the raucous beat that had been playing earlier and now only the fiddler was playing. The man was talented and slowly slid his bow to produce a mournful, bittersweet tune. Ben noticed several more groups heading toward the hallways that led to the rooms. The serving staff scurried around, wiping off the tables and straightening up chairs and benches.
The men who had been jumping the fire had returned to their tables but were still drinking heavily and laughing loudly. He guessed they were the guards for the merchant train. He imagined they spent long boring days on the road and this must be their most comfortable stop in weeks. There was a scattering of other folk in the room, but this late in the evening most of the serious travelers had gone to bed.
He was still watching the guards when Meghan quietly sat down beside him.
“Ben, I want to talk to you before we leave and this goes any further. I appreciate what you’re doing, but I am fine. You don’t need to do this and it’s not too late if you want to turn back. Just tell my father we already left when you got here. You don’t owe him anything.”
“I-I’m not doing this for Alistair,” he mumbled abashedly.
“Oh no, Ben!” exclaimed Meghan. “You have to know that I love you but like a brother. You can’t do this for me!”
Ben’s face suddenly felt flush. That was not what he meant at all, but he didn’t know how to explain it. “No Meghan, it’s not like that. It’s just that, well, I always thought I would spend my life in Farview. I always thought the most excitement I’d have was competing with the staff in the Springtime Festival or out hunting with Serrot. This is a chance for me to go out and see the world. This is my chance to really do something.”
She smiled at him. He wasn’t sure if she believed him or not, but it was the truth. He cared about her, and he wanted to make sure she was safe, but he knew that Saala or Lady Towaal could protect her on the road far better than he could.