To Be Chosen

by John Buttrick

  For quite awhile, even before he was knighted, he had been thinking about how the Accomplisheds allied with Tarin Conn controlled the yetis and sasquatches, and a Melody took shape in Daniel’s soul, one that would do something similar to what the Serpent Guild used, but on a deeper level. Deeper because Daniel scanned Sheila and not only sensed her recipe strands, he became aware of her life force energy. When the baby began to cry, he cast Mind Touch, and created a connection that touched her life force and every helix of her recipe strands. Thoughts flowed into his mind, feelings and impulses which the spell then translated into words. “Eyes hurt, too bright, cold, I am afraid.” He suggested that she be calm and she immediately stopped crying.

  Sheila was the first success and he created the link while touching her, but Tarin Conn had formed some sort of mental link to him and thousands of other people without ever having touched a single person. That realization led to the next; physical contact was the best and easiest way to create a link, but it was not the only way, so he began experimenting while Jonah led the team.

  After that, Daniel began attempting to create links to the creatures he sensed with the idea of suggesting that they go somewhere else to find food. It took him awhile, with several failed attempts where he had to quickly cast a spell to push away a python or two. The breakthrough came when he finally linked to a gator fifteen strides away. As always, since the Silencing, every bit of potential he summoned was tightly focused, thinner than a human hair, and he aimed his will with the skill of a master archer. He connected with the gator, heard its crude thoughts, Food, eat, bite and roll, and suggested to the male that horses and humans were not food and to go look for something else to eat. The huge reptile turned and swam off.

  He then created links to other creatures, reptiles, amphibians, and birds, but he soon discovered a hundred strides was the farthest he could focus enough potential to create a link, although once established the distance to the linked animals became irrelevant. He could sense them even if they traveled to the other side of the world. Perhaps as his strength grew he would gain a greater range and be able to form links much farther away. He could use a crescendo but that would give away his secret. Presently, he was linked to nine gators, ten pythons, three water moccasins, a pair of frogs, six turtles, two birds, an egret and a brown and white-feathered grebe with a long slender neck and pointed bill, and five sasquatches, counting Sheila. He sensed twenty of them in all, fifteen of which were too far away for him to create a link, but they were following four spans to the rear and drawing closer.

  The first adult sasquatch he linked with was under a compulsion. His thoughts were; Serena is to be obeyed. Kill and eat anything that tries to flee the hunting ground, and the area around the estate was considered to be the hunting ground. His name was Terroar and he was hungry, so Daniel suggested that humans were not food and to be avoided because they tasted bad and were extremely dangerous, even the small ones. Daniel also suggested that the sasquatch was free to go wherever he wanted. The other three adults he linked with had the same imperatives and he gave them the same suggestions. Perhaps it was because his link went deeper, but it was not difficult to override the compulsions placed on them by Serena, possibly the Accomplished leading the enemy Aakacarns. This was the first he knew of the name and doubted it would be the last.

  He found that closing his eyes and concentrating hard enough on one particular linked animal, allowed him to see what the creature was seeing. It was a fascinating experiment but not one he could afford to do while in pursuit of enemy Aakacarns.

  “This baby needs milk,” Silvia stated, having ridden up on his left, seeing as Cale was riding on his right.

  Jonah and Sergeant Zaccum were in the lead and both Teki had been in third position ahead of the Royal Guardsmen, until Silvia moved up. The four scouts were out, ahead, to the side and the flanks. The river was a little farther to the left and teaming with life. Water lilies sheltered frogs and lizards. The broad waterway was home to fish, turtles, snakes, herons, and cranes as well as egrets and kingfishers. Trees lined both sides of the Tollus, mostly black cypress, tupelos, and willows.

  The Duke’s son was doing a good job of navigating and was probably wondering why he was still leading the procession now that they were out of the swamp, yet voiced no desire to relinquish the lead. Daniel was content to wait until after the rest period, which should be soon, before taking his place at the head of the columns. He glanced at the Teki. “Are we out of goat’s milk?” He purchased plenty of it from the Ducalin estate, although they did not know Sheila was the one who was going to be drinking it.

  “No. We have enough for now, but I am concerned about keeping it from souring, and the fact that what she really needs is sasquatch milk,” Silvia replied while holding up the babe wrapped in one of Daniel’s silk shirts.

  Dark eyes stared out of a black leathery face that lit up with joy every time she saw him. Her dagger sharp teeth made her smile look more like a grimace, but he could sense her mood and knew she was not hungry. “She seems content for now, but I take your point about the souring.”

  Silvia cuddled the babe, evidently forming a bond of her own, one that had nothing to do with the casting of Melodies. “She’s a darling, but what she really needs is to be with her own kind. I understand your wanting her to live, so do I, but are you planning on raising her as a pet?”

  Cale barked a laugh. He had slept in the manor house and barely joined the procession before Jonah and Zaccum came out. “I can see it now. All the nobles flocking to obtain there own pet sasquatch, everyone wanting the creatures because the great hero of the realm has one.”

  The Master-of-the-blade had a point. Flatlanders were strange and there was no telling what fool notion would come into their heads. Daniel had no intention of keeping any of the creatures linked to him as pets, yet somehow he felt linking to them was the right thing to do. “Not as a pet. She is part of my swirl,” he answered in a way Silvia would instantly understand, while not revealing his ability to summon potential to those who did not need to know.

  The Seer nodded her head, of course she understood, as would David. Sergeant Keenan, who rode up just in time to hear the response, and Cale, who frowned, had no idea what was meant by the statement. “Swirl?” the Lieutenant repeated.

  “Daniel Benhannon is the Chosen Vessel,” Silvia proclaimed, again with the proclamations. She never seemed to tire of making them.

  Cale’s frown deepened but the Sergeant nodded his head as if this was not the first time he considered the possibility. But his real reason for riding up likely had nothing to do with speculating about the Chosen Vessel and more to do with something that needed doing that Daniel had neglected. The Sergeant proved to be good at helping Daniel fulfill the duties of a commander in the field, and the effort was appreciated.

  “Lord Jonah seems to be caught up in his zeal to catch the culprits who raided his home, I wonder if he plans on calling a halt soon, maybe let the men relieve themselves and give the horses a break,” Keenan stated, clearly trying to make the statement sound like idle thoughts rather than a suggestion that Daniel assume command and order the stop.

  According to the maps of Aakadon, they should be coming to an area half a span ahead that would be ideal for a respite. Almost anywhere along the way, once out of the swamp, would have been good enough for Daniel, and probably David and Silvia as well, but he had fifty-three additional people, all mounted, including thirty pack horses, to consider, and so had to find a place suitable for everyone.

  “I am sure Lord Jonah is considering the matter and will soon call a halt,” Daniel assured him, and then suggested to Sprinter to catch up with the Duke’s son. The stallion was the second creature Daniel formed a link with and the connection between horse and rider was seamless and worked well.

  Sergeant Zaccum glanced at him as he caught up to them. “You’ve been rather quiet back there,” the old guardsman remarked.

  “Cale and the Teki keep th
e conversations going well enough without my adding to them,” Daniel replied. “But they do manage to draw me in once in a while.”

  Zaccum smiled. “I didn’t say they were quiet.”

  “Nope, to my knowledge, none of them have been accused of it,” Daniel replied, trying to match the Sergeant’s light and friendly manner.

  The Sergeant’s smile vanished, replaced by a narrowing of the eyes and a creased brow. “Is the Teki woman correct, are you the Chosen Vessel?”

  Keenan had ridden up and was well within earshot of the conversation, not that the Chosen Vessel business was a secret, seeing as every Teki in or near Ducanton had been proclaiming the news, and all of the guardsmen had to have heard at least some of the rumors, but rumors were one thing and confirmation from Daniel’s own lips was another. He decided to answer the question, mostly because these people were caught up in his swirl and had a right to know it. “All of the Seers I have ever met say that I am. The Queen says that I am and events surrounding me back up their claim.”

  Zaccum frowned. “Pardon me for bringing this up, but you have been Silenced, leaving you impotent, how can you lead us to victory over Tarin Conn?”

  Jonah cocked an ear toward Daniel. The young lord was listening but clearly chose not to join the conversation as of yet. David came forward, making the head of the procession look like an undisciplined herd that happened to be going the same direction. “The Chosen Vessel draws what he needs, sometimes before he knows he even has a need. If he requires an army of Aakacarns, they will be caught up in his swirl, just the way you all are,” the Teki explained.

  “So that is why my aunt assigned the command to you,” Jonah finally added his voice to the others.

  Daniel nodded his head. “The Queen knows what I need to succeed in the mission will be drawn to me,” he admitted, and was going to leave it at that, but decided to see if he could put an end to all this talk of him being impotent, without revealing too much. “Keep this between us. At least two Maestros are working to convince Efferin Tames to lift the Silencing he placed on me, which means they are also caught up in my swirl, and if they are successful my old repertoire can be relearned.”

  “My father knows this, doesn’t he? That’s why he gained so much confidence in you after your private chat,” Jonah rightly concluded, except Daniel had cast, Laundering, right in front of the Duke, Cantor knew the man in his presence was not impotent, and the force his sister had sent was more powerful than what it appeared to be at first glance.

  “Yes,” Daniel replied, and then decided there had been enough talk about his being chosen. “According to the map, we will soon come to higher ground, the area is ideal for stopping for a three quarter respite.”

  Jonah turned to Keenan. “Sergeant, inform the men we will be stopping shortly for a three quarter of a mark break.”

  Keenan saluted. “It will be as you say,” he said, and then dropped back along the line to where Corporal Duwin was working to keep the columns in proper formation.

  Daniel signaled Raymond Carpenter and Duncan Hawk to approach him. “Go inform the scouts we are stopping to rest. Guardsmen Kaypen and Kenton are to the rear and will see when we stop. Carpenter, I want you to go north and speak to Hannon. Hawk, if you head northeast, directly where I am pointing, you will intercept Adam Avery.”

  “It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” the young guardsmen replied in unison and then rode off.

  Three of the four adult sasquatches linked to Daniel were females and all of them had chosen, of their own volition, to follow him, while avoiding being seen by the humans accompanying him. Gerowel, Croka, and Korilla were two spans to the rear while Terroar was pacing the column about two spans due east. The fifteen beasts following were much closer now, with seven ahead of the rest and one of them coming to a stop. But that suddenly changed. Daniel was sensing fourteen on the move and the one still stationary, and then there were two, one had given birth to another. The second sasquatch clung so closely to the first, they almost seemed as one. Perhaps the baby was clinging to the mother’s back. Momma Sasquatch was soon on the move and heading north, following her pack. He could hardly wait for all sixteen of them to get within a hundred strides of him.

  One of the differences between yetis and sasquatches that struck him, beside the color, was that yetis tended to be solitary, only coming together to mate, occasionally join a hunt, or when compelled to do so by a member of the Serpent Guild. Since linking with the sasquatches, he learned that they had a more developed social order than did the yetis and often formed packs with alphas, male and female, leading the group, similar to wolves. Another difference was that yetis hibernated during the hot summer months, except when members of the Serpent Guild revive them, while sasquatches remain active all year long.

  They arrived at the dry open area and Jonah signaled the halt. Men dismounted and began eating and taking care of whatever physical needs held priority. Daniel had been casting Melodies virtually nonstop, drawing moisture from his body, and was thirsty. It would be a while longer before his bladder was full. He drank from one of his two canteens while eyeing everyone and everything surrounding him, desiring to keep them all safe.

  The river continued its meander south and swimming in its gentle waters along with the regular inhabitance were nine gators, ten pythons, three water moccasins, a pair of frogs, six turtles, a grebe, and an egret, which sometimes flew and then would walk lively for awhile before taking back to the air. Amazingly, none of the major predators attempted to eat those of the group that would normally be prey. Daniel had not compelled them to follow him, like the sasquatches, they did so of their own accord.

  “Are you going to stay on Sprinter’s back the whole time?” Cale inquired after dismounting.

  “The view is better,” Daniel replied. “But if you want to spar, I might find that more interesting.”

  “Then dismount. I want to see how many times I can slap you with some wood,” Cale joked while holding two practice blades.

  Daniel swung down and took up the lath sword. He and Cale went through one form after another in the dance of swords. They had been doing this for so long it was not hard to anticipate the master’s moves. He was fast, wooden blade moving in a blur, but Daniel parried every offensive strike with the solid smack of wood on wood. Pruning the Hedges met Raking the Leaves. Parting Kiss met Crack of the Whip. The Lieutenant increased his speed and varied the forms. What started out to be Fanning the Flames ended up being, Parting the Waves, and had to be countered with Twisted Rapids instead of Falling Rain, which was good, seeing as this is what would happen in a real fight. It was the first time Cale fought that way, yet he still did not get through Daniel’s defenses. The problem is defense alone does not win, and at the moment, holding off Cale’s attack was the best Daniel could do. His only hope was to tire the man out; made possible because the Lieutenant lacked the extra life force energy Daniel was born with. This was not a fair fight so Daniel slowed down just enough to allow Cale’s blade to slip past his guard and strike him in the chest, which did not hurt because Daniel was shielded. Being unshielded in the Whetstone was one thing, being unshielded while in the wilderness and chasing Aakacarns was something else entirely. Fool hearty comes to mind.

  “You did quite well, but your moves will have to be more aggressive if you ever hope to prevail against a Master-of-the-blade, especially one as good as me, of which there are few,” Cale stated pompously, after catching his breath, the way he spoke most of the time. The man had the talent, so no one called him down for the superior attitude, and he was a good teacher, which is why Daniel resisted the urge to prick the man’s colossal ego, and remind him that he had lost once.

  Sergeant Keenan walked up, eyeing the cavalryman as he approached. “But you had to work for it this time.”

  “Would you like to spar with me?” Cale asked him with a sneer.

  Keenan smiled. “That would be a waste of your time and mine. It would take a rare twist of fate for me
to beat you.”

  “It would not take all that much time, but at least you are man enough to admit who is the better,” Cale replied and then took Daniel’s practice blade.

  The huge guardsman cracked his knuckles. “You’re better with the blade, but not necessarily a better man.”

  Those two would never come to like each other, not that such was required, but they did need to work together. “Cale is correct. I do need to be more aggressive to win and if he had been a little slower, I might have had the opportunity to attack him,” that should soothe one ego. “Sergeant, is there something requiring my attention?”

  “Time, we have been at rest for nearly a full mark, and I appreciate that you have granted us a longer break, but I was wanting to know if we will be leaving soon,” Keenan replied in an overly patient manner, one giving the impression that had he not been addressing a Royal Knight of the Realm his tone would have been quite different.

  “Time is valuable,” Daniel agreed and then vaulted into his saddle “Form up the columns.”

  By the time Daniel counted to ninety, two neat columns were formed and ready to go. Cale, Silvia, David, Jonah and Sergeant Zaccum all took their customary places behind him and ahead of the guardsmen. Daniel urged Sprinter forward and the procession began again. The Lieutenant wasted no time coming up beside him and beginning a rambling monologue, as usual.

  In late afternoon Samson Kaypen caught up to Corporal Duwin, who reported to Sergeant Keenan, who rode up to the head of the columns with the scout at his side. Daniel already had a strong notion of what would be in the report, seeing as he was sensing every creature within a five span radius of where he sat saddle.

  The scout matched his horse’s pace with that of Sprinter. “We are being followed by sasquatches. I counted six,” he reported.