by H. M. Clarke
The Way to Freedom
The Complete Season One
H.M. Clarke
Also by H.M.Clarke
The Way to Freedom: Season One
1: The Kalarthri
2: The Dream Thief
3: The Awakening
4: The Enemy Within
5: The Unknown Queen
John McCall Mysteries
1: Howling Vengeance
The Verge
1: The Enclave
The Order
1: Winter’s Magic: Act One
2: Winter’s Magic: Act Two
Marion: An ‘Order’ Short Story.
The Way to Freedom
The Complete Season One
H.M. Clarke
Sentinel Publishing
Copyright © H. M. Clarke 2014
All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner
First published in The United States of America in 2015
Sentinel Publishing LLC, Dayton, Ohio
Cover design by H.M.Clarke
The moral right of the author has been asserted
DEDICATION
As always, this book is dedicated to my two beautiful children, Keith and Ariadne.
CONTENTS
1
The Kalathri
2
The Dream Thief
3
The Awakening
4
The Enemy Within
5
The Unknown Queen
Other Books by H.M. Clarke
About the Author
The
Kalarthri
The Way to Freedom
Book One
H.M. Clarke
CONTENTS
1
Leave-Taking
2
The Choosing
3
The Krytal
4
Kalena Kalar
5
Harada Thurad
6
Backlash
7
Night Wanders
8
Confessions
9
10
11
12
13
14
The Grand Tour
The First Flight
The Searchers
The Post House
The Lieutenant’s Dilemma
Honor Debt
15
As Quiet as Mice…
Chapter one
Leave-taking
Today was a special day.
Fields of wheat rippled in the morning breeze, their whiskery golden heads waving happily at the sun. In another week the harvest would begin and the fields would no longer be tall enough to hide in. Nearby, black-faced sheep bleated quietly to themselves as they cropped the spring grass. None of the adults would be working the fields or tending the flocks today and the children had been released from their duties. A shaggy sheepdog sat to one side keeping a watchful eye on his flock.
The day was warm and the sky spread out above the village of Kurst like a blanket of blue wool. Large Eldar and Oak trees surrounded the fields and the village, some of which, if you climbed to the top, was large enough to see over the surrounding woods to the coast.
The young girl that now ran joyfully through Kurst main gates out into the early morning sun had this very thing in mind. Kalena wanted to be out before anyone else, she wanted to keep this day all to herself.
Last night while she lay in her cot, Kalena could hear her mother weeping and her father trying to comfort her. Both mama and papa had been upset since the messenger came to the town a few days ago. The taunts from Videan still rankled with her. He had been telling her for the past week that mama and papa were going to give her away. Kalena knew that her brother was only jealous because mama and papa paid more attention to her. But his teasing hurt. Kalena looked up to her older brother and would give nearly anything to have his respect. He seemed to think her a silly young girl. Just because she was ten and he was fifteen did not mean she was silly!
Kalena laughed as she left the confines of the town, using the sound to push away her troubled thoughts and turned her feet towards the mass of grassland, wheat fields and trees that terminated at the steep cliff that fell into the Bay. Running through the flowers with her long hair streaming loose behind her like black silk; the front of her skirts caught up in her hands to prevent them tangling with her legs, she dashed past the trees, impulsively deciding to look at the sea instead from the cliff top. Clutched tightly in the crook of her arm was a small rag doll that her mother had made. It was well worn and well-loved and she never let it out of her sight. She kept running until the ground dropped away suddenly before her out of the wild mass of grasses and wildflowers.
Kalena threw herself down by the drop and untidily swung her legs over the edge to sit starring over the wide expanse of swirling ocean with Kala her doll propped up next to her.
The sea breeze danced merrily across the waves to play with the glittering expanse of sand that swept in a golden carpet to the stony cliff face. Sea birds floated gently with the wind or bobbed across the surface of the water, their calls drifting over the white-capped sea. To the north and west, the water stretched as far as the eye can see, but to the south sat the large island of Monarstros that seemed to stand firm against the might of the sea. It was to this island that Kalena now gazed.
Kalena Tsarland sat staring wistfully at the island, wondering what it would be like to live there. Would it be different from her life at Kurst Village? What would the people be like? What would being on a boat be like? These questions circled around in Kalena’s head every time she looked out to the island but as yet she had found no answers. Having never been away from the village or its surrounds Kalena looked excitedly to the time when she could travel and see the world. Even her parents have never been more than half a day’s walk away from Kurst village. And that was only to trade with the fisher folk down the coast. Kalena indulged herself in a smile as she gazed across the sea.
“Kala, one day we’ll go to that island and we’ll meet lots of people and make lots of friends. And we’ll meet boys who will not hide you in a feeding trough and not think we’re silly.”
Kalena fingered the mending on Kala’s arm where a hungry sheep had started to munch before she rescued the doll from the trough. Her mother had stitched the hole and even put a bandage over it to help it get better. Kalena didn’t speak to Videan for months after the incident. Not that he noticed.
Most of all Kalena wanted to have friends. There were not many children in the village that were her age, except for three boys. The girls either thought themselves too old to be seen with her or they were too young and not interested in what she liked to do.
One thing that she did notice was that the adults treated her and some of the other children differently. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what was different but they always seemed to receive extra attention from the adults. Well, the older children thought so. They were supposed to be able to get away with things more often as well. Kalena didn’t think so. She had felt her father’s hand on her bottom several times for her misdemeanors.
Sighing, Kalena pushed herself up from the cliff face. Grabbing Kala in one hand, she gave her skirts a quick brush with the other.
; “Why don’t we go to our tree?” Kalena asked her doll. She made Kala’s head nod in agreement before scampering back across the wildflowers into the surrounding woods.
Kalena made her way across the bush lands quickly dodging between the trunks of Elder and Gum. She was heading towards a large, gnarled Coastgum tree that stood in the far corner of the Common Wheat field to the south of the village. As soon as she sighted the field between the trees, Kalena instinctively ducked down in the underbrush. She sat there listening a moment before she remembered that the adults would not be working today. Some of the village men did not approve of girls climbing in trees.
Feeling silly, she quickly sprinted the last distance before hiding behind the trunk of her tree, out of sight of the field.
Slowly Kalena peered around the wide bowl of the tree to make sure that the fields were well and truly empty. Seeing that the coast was clear, she then tucked her doll into the band of her skirt and looked into the branches above her.
The Coastgum tree towered high above her. It was quite easily the tallest tree she had ever seen and that was the main reason she chose to climb it. When she sat in its branches Kalena thought herself as a bird that could launch itself into the air and fly high in the sky to unknown places. She often watched the white and grey sea eagles as they dipped and soared in the sky from her perch in the tree, wishing that she could join them.
Kalena crouched down and scrubbed her hands in the sand among the tree roots to enable her to get a better purchase on the trees rough bark. She dusted her hands on her chest as she stared up at first branch above her. Tucking her skirt into her waistband, Kalena jumped and swung up onto the first branch and began to climb. She had climbed this tree hundreds of times and knew the best way to her favorite branch. The hard bark felt reassuring under her hands and Kalena always loved the smell of the trees in springtime.
Agile as a cat, she climbed to near the top of the tree and stopped to rest finally on a large, thick branch that jutted out in an upright angle from the main trunk. Kalena straddled the branch and crept slowly along it until she was over half way along its length. From here, she had a clear view of the field below and of the village. Above her she had open sky.
Kalena felt the morning sun on her back and heard the soft sighing of the leaves as the breeze teased them. Lifting herself just enough to pull Kala from her waistband, Kalena arranged the doll to lie in front of her so that she could see the view as well.
“We can both pretend to be birds again,” the girl said as she arranged Kala’s arms so that they crossed behind the doll’s head. “Or, if you don’t want to do that, we could pretend that we are Princesses that have been kidnapped and hidden in a tower, waiting for someone to rescue us. Maybe even a Hatar Flyer could rescue us, I like the Hatar.” Kalena had never seen a Hatar, but her father had and from his stories she knew she would like them and they would like her. Plus they could fly, maybe even better that a bird. Kalena stared at the rag doll a moment.
“No, not that either?” Kalena snorted. “What do you want to do then?”
Movement in the village caught Kalena’s eye and she shifted her gaze from Kala to Kurst Village.
She could see people surrounding two men on horseback in the Town Square. At the far end of the square could be seen a box wagon with a team of two horses. Lounging on the seat were two men in uniform. Beside the wagon was the long trestle table that was bought out for special occasions such as Winter Night and Summer Night. Kalena did not know what the occasion was today but upon noticing the tables, she realized what her nose had been trying to tell her since coming to her tree; that cakes and sweets were being prepared.
Kalena could not make out faces but the uniforms proclaimed the riders as Provosts. Before them was a group of adults with a small cluster of children who clung to their parents. She could see that the men were in close conversation with Kurst Elder, her father and two others who she could not see properly. Kalena saw one of the horsemen frantically gesticulate and heard the man turn and call to one of the wagon guards.
She watched as her father rushed forward and grabbed the horseman’s stirrup crying desperately for the man to stop. The horseman, Kalena could now see that his head was bald, turned in his saddle and lashed out at her father with a gauntleted fist.
Kalena let out a gasp as he fell to the ground. Kurst Elder bent to look at her father, not seeing the other horseman catch the back swing of the bald one before it could hit him in the head. Kalena clutched Kala tightly to her. She could not see her mother anywhere in the village crowd. Voices murmured angrily and the bald one roughly pulled his arm from the younger man’s grasp. He then rose in his stirrups and spoke over the noise of the crowd. Kalena could not make out what he said but the villagers quieted.
“There you are!” a voice said from below her.
Kalena looked down from her branch to see her brother Videan staring back at her. He was a tall gangly lad with short black hair and luminous blue eyes. Kalena had heard some of the other girls talking about him, saying how handsome he was. She always felt a stab of jealousy because Videan spent more time talking with the older girls than with her. Movement flashed in the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw one of his friends dashing across the wheat field back to the village.
“A man just hit Father!” she called down to her brother.
“If he did it’s all your fault,” Videan called back to her. His remaining friends quickly arranged themselves around the bottom of the tree, effectively blocking any chance of escape. Kalena stared at her brother and did not like the way Videan looked at her.
“Why is it my fault?” Kalena was on the point of sobbing.
“Because Father was giving you away today and you weren’t there,” Videan said with what sounded like great satisfaction in his voice.
“You’re lying. Father would never give me away. He loves me!”
Videan started to laugh and the boys around the tree echoed him.
“He loves me more. I am the eldest and you are Second Born. He cannot love something that belongs to someone else. He sent me out this morning to find you. He wanted you there on time for the Provost.”
“The Provost! I haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t want to go to jail!”
“Stupid girl,” Videan said more to himself than to those around him who laughed viscously at the comment.
“Get down here right now!”
“No, you’re a mean, horrible brother. Go away and leave me alone.” Kalena broke down in tears and held her rag doll close to her chest. “Kala says to leave me alone!”
“I don’t give a toss about Kala,” Videan called back to her, eyes filled with hate. He took to step forward when the snort of a horse stopped him.
The distant thunder of hooves bought everyone’s attention back to the village. One of the horsemen was coming across the wheat field towards them, Videan’s friend trotting along in the lead.
As the small group came closer, the horse abruptly slowed its stride and the rider raised an arm in acknowledgment before stopping the beast near the tree. The horse was beautiful and Kalena never cease to be amazed by the stallion’s beauty. His coat was as black as charcoal and as shiny as satin, his mane, tail, socks and nose was as white as the purest snow. Too bad his temper wasn’t.
Shatal was a war-horse to be admired and he knew it. His rider on the other hand, was the complete opposite. A tall man in his mid twenties with golden locks and startling blue eyes set in a strikingly handsome face which had the girls of the village swooning whenever he walked by. His athletic body sat his horse well and was dressed in the uniform of the County Provost, the emblem of a tan bear embroidered on an emerald green surcoat.
Both man and animal acted with the same mind; obvious in the fact that Shatal acted as if he wore no bridle, but held his head imperiously high as he trotted over.
When both horse and rider stood sweating beneath her, Kalena scrambled to her knees on the branch and bowed in th
e deepest curtsy she could manage without falling from the Coastgum. The sight of the stallion made her forget her tears. She often wondered whether the horse knew how human he sometimes looked.
“Welcome Provost Garrick Thurad.”
A satisfied snort from Shatal brought color to her cheeks as she tried not to laugh at the horse.
Garrick was her best adult friend and never called her by her full name except on formal occasions. Kalena was old enough to be flattered that a man so handsome and so old would want to be her friend. Garrick would spend time with all of the younger children, especially if they were a second child, but would always find extra time to be with her.
Kalena suddenly turned to look at her brother.
“Provost Thurad would never put me in jail!”
Videan only smiled at her.
“Who said anything about jail?” the Provost said.
“Videan said that you were taking me away from Mother and Father, that they didn’t want me anymore.” Kalena began to cry again.
“What rubbish, I am not going to put you in jail. Come down from that tree and return with me to the village.” The Provost sat straight in his saddle as he watched her, his right hand gripped nervously at the hilt of the ceremonial blade that swung at his hip.
“I don’t want to, I’m scared. That other man hit father.” Kalena’s face grew stubborn.