A Song of Snow and Ashes

by S.J. Drew

respond to her frantic knocking.

  "I have to go. I'll be back later. Don't let Aidan or the Council worry."

  "Wait, what? Where are you going?" he asked.

  She had already turned away and walked into the Light Realm. "Light One guide me," she thought as she walked, although she really wanted to run.

  She almost fell out of the Light Realm. After recovering from her surprise, she looked around. It was dark, so she suspected she was someplace to the west of Tallis Marrom. The air was warm and oppressive, but it didn't feel like it was going to rain. The area was very flat and less than half a mile away she could see flickering lights, indicating campfires and people. She realized she was somewhere in the Charred Lands, but she didn't know exactly where or why, so she prayed again. "Light One guide me and keep me shielded from unfriendly eyes." Following a vague warm feeling, she approached the lights which resolved into large wheeled vehicles of a type she'd never seen before. They reminded her somewhat of the caravans that the nomads of the deep desert lived in, which made sense, she reflected, based on what little Davin had said about his people. The dim firelight wasn't bright enough for her to determine any details. The caravans were in some sort of circle and she walked around the perimeter until she reached a large caravan. She could tell whoever was in that caravan was rich because the firelight flickered off the gilding. She walked around back and realized exactly where she was and why she was needed.

  Davin was unconscious in a small steel cage, like the kind that might hold a large dog. She carefully approached the cage and wrinkled her nose. "Either he hasn't bathed, which is likely, or he's been stuck eating garbage, which may also be likely." She knelt down in the dirt and softly called his name.

  He stirred and clumsily shifted around in the cage. "What?" he mumbled.

  Judging by his sluggish movements, he was likely injured. Now that she thought of it, there was the smell of old blood in the air. She also realized his shirt was missing and she blushed. He put his hand through the bars.

  She held it. "Davin, tell me what to do to help you. Do you need food? Do you need water? Do you need medical attention? Do you want me to just get you out of here?"

  He was quiet for so long she thought maybe he'd passed out. "How long until the sun comes up?"

  The sky to the east was turning faintly pink on the horizon. "An hour or so."

  "I'm not that badly off. I've been given food and water. I've been beaten regularly but I'm not in any danger of dying."

  "That's good to know. Should I get you out of here now?"

  "How in the world did you know where to find me and know to come today?" he asked, turning to face her.

  Her eyes were getting used to the dim light. She could now see one of his eyes was blackened, his lip was obviously healing from being split, and his torso was covered in scratches, bruises, and long, thin cuts.

  "I don't know. I think the Light One told me. I remember I asked god to watch over you, and I guess It did. It led me right to you. It's not that I didn't think you couldn't take care of yourself," she said quickly. "But you said you were doing something dangerous and I didn't even know the god would actually answer me, especially not like this. I hope you're not mad at me. This might have been a terrible invasion of your privacy."

  He just stared at her a moment. Then he started laugh.

  "What's funny?"

  It took him a few minutes to compose himself. "Eliora, you must be the nicest, sweetest woman in all of the world. You say a prayer with the best of intentions, get it answered by your god and come to rescue me, and then apologize because you think I might be insulted you did so." He peered at her more closely. "Your hair is down."

  "I didn't have time to put it up," she said, starting to braid it back and out of the dirt. Then she realized she had nothing to hold it back with and let it fall back down. "I'm lucky I remembered my boots," she sighed.

  "Are you blushing right now?"

  "Well, you're only half-dressed," she mumbled.

  He smiled and shook his head a bit. "Well, since you're here I suppose I'd better tell you what's going on so you can help me out."

  "I'd guess you were doing fine telling people to stay away from the Dark clerics and then ran into someone who was in favor of allying with the Dark clerics and they got the better of you."

  "Or you could just guess correctly and save some time. Yes, I was doing pretty well. As I said, my people aren't religious, but just because they don't believe in the gods doesn't mean they take well to being manipulated by their clerics. Unfortunately in my absence the power of the Warlord has grown stronger and he is apparently in favor of taking the Dark clerics up on their offer. My people have not been allowed in civilized lands for many centuries. If he gets his way, we won't be allowed for another several centuries."

  "He's going to take a group into a city somewhere, get weapons and information, and then take over or at least cause chaos?"

  Davin nodded. "Your grasp of the politics of the situation is quite good."

  "Thank you."

  "Most of my people, despite my dishonor, understood why I left. I helped them realize that allying with the Dark clerics would not help them against the Warlord. Then I embarked on the more difficult task of trying to convince those in the sway of the Warlord's power to not ally with the Dark clerics and try to cast off his control. I had hoped to avoid direct confrontation with his clan. I have been dishonored, but I still have to play by the rules of the clans. The Warlord never had any honor to begin with so he can cheat. In the end, I came up against the Warlord. You can see which one of us came out better," he said wryly.

  "Are you in here for honor then or because you can't actually get out?"

  He blinked a few times. "I've forgotten that when you listen you really do listen. It's somewhat of both, but given that I've run away before and damn honor, it's mostly that I can't get out. The cage has glyphs on it."

  She looked blank.

  "Magical symbols that hold small spells that can be set up by the caster to be activated under certain conditions. In this case, if I try to use any spell, the glyph will sound an alarm and I'll be set upon by half a dozen of the Warlord's guards. That's why I'm held behind his wagon. That, and because it's even more humiliating since I don't really know any spells that could damage that wagon."

  She took note of the word he used for the vehicles.

  "I can hold my own against three of his men in a straight fight which is likely why I'm not dead yet, but I cannot hold my own against half a dozen men in a magical combat."

  "Did the Warlord remember you?"

  "Oh, yes, he did. He insulted my honor, my family's honor, and told me things about my sister no one except her husband would have any right to know," he said darkly.

  "I am sorry."

  He sort of shrugged. "It was a risk. Today the Warlord is going to hold a trial, of sorts anyway, and I will be found guilty and then I will be executed."

  "I can get you out, I'll bet, but if I just rescue you, he'll still be allied with the Dark clerics and bring more trouble to your people."

  "That is something of a problem, yes, but since you're here, there may be a better way. A much better way." They talked until the first crescent of red sun broke over the horizon. Loud voices and heavy footsteps came toward the cage, so Eliora made herself invisible and moved back to watch. Actually, what she thought was, "Don't let me be seen," and felt the spell take hold. For the first time in a long time she was aware of the power of the Light within her soul.

  Two large men in leather armor came around the back. Davin contrived to look asleep. One of them had a bucket of dirty water, which he threw at Davin.

  He jumped a little as the water washed over him. "Good morning," he said wryly.

  Eliora experienced a moment of panic as she suddenly remembered Northern was not Davin's native language. Then she calmed down a moment and thought, "Let
me understand." Understanding came to her by the time the guards replied. "Magic is going to be very easy today," she thought.

  The two men laughed a bit. "So cheerful? You know what's going to happen today, don't you?"

  He faced them with his dark, violet-eyed stare. "I do."

  They seemed a little confused for a moment.

  Eliora shook her head a bit. "He's enjoying this. Can't say I blame him for that. I just hope this works."

  "Well, after breakfast we'll get this over with," one said.

  "Don't I get a last meal?" Davin asked.

  "The Warlord doesn't like you that much."

  "I got the impression he didn't like me at all."

  "You're funny, for being dishonored and a marked man."

  "You're hardly one to talk of honor," he snapped.

  They kicked at the bars and then walked off, laughing.

  The sun had fully risen when they came back. They unlocked the cage and yanked Davin out. By the full light, she could see how badly he had been beaten. His back was completely criss-crossed with cuts that could only be made by a whip and there were shiny red marks indicative of burns.

  For the first time since finding him, she felt truly angry.

  One of them forced a cup of dirty water down his throat as the other bound his hands behind his back. She trotted after them, trying not to bump into anyone. There were a lot of wagons in the area, but rather fewer pack or hauling animals than she expected. "Let me see," she thought, and cast a magic detection spell. The wagons lit up