The Far Kingdoms

by Allan Cole

  We slept not far beyond the village that night, and were wakened by the sound of horses' hooves. We shrank down against the ground, hoping we were invisible. From the sound, there would have been many riders - Janos flashed spread the fingers of one hand three times. I thought I saw plumed helmets against the night, less than a spearcast away, but was probably deluding myself. The next morning, when we cautiously investigated, there were no droppings or prints where the riders had passed.

  "Now the Watchers ride in groups, like half-company patrols," Janos said. "We are close."

  An hour or so later we entered a thick forest whose trees climbed far overhead, long uncut. We lost sight of the sun, and depended on our compass for direction. By nightfall we were still in the depths of the wilderness. We slept uneasily. Not only were there strange sounds from unknown creatures hunting or being hunted in the blackness, but I felt closed in by this, the first real jungle I'd been in. Once I heard the wingbeats, as some huge nightbird flew overhead. The next morning we ate hastily and hurried on, forcing our way through the vines and thick brush.

  Quite suddenly the forest came to an end. We stood on the outskirts of a great plain, a rugged plain now turning brown as the Month of Smokes drew near, but whose grasses earlier would have been as yellow as mustard in bloom. There was the green of forests, and the silver of running waters.

  Beyond was the mountain range. There were four peaks in the range, and a fifth that twisted like a huge thumb. We had reached the plain that stretched to the Fist of the Gods. It was yet too early for snow, and we appeared closer than in my vision, so I could tell there were striations in the peaks beyond just black volcanic rock. But by all that is holy, I thought, we had found the Fist of the Gods. Beyond lay the Far Kingdoms.

  I turned to Janos, as he looked at me. Both of us went a little mad for the next few moments - mazed shock, imbecile gape, then both babbling, neither hearing the other. Silence.

  "We found it," I said.

  "We did."

  "Did you really believe we would?"

  Neither of us met the other's gaze nor made an answer - perhaps there had been too much sorcery and danger and disappointment on this Finding for us both to really maintain self-confidence. The solemnity was broken and we were looning around like a pair of prize fools. Eventually we collected ourselves.

  "Damnation and ice," I said. "I should have found space in my pack for a flagon to celebrate."

  "We do not need it, Amalric," Janos said. "That stream up ahead will taste better than any vintage. We can make camp there, and I estimate we are no more than three or four honest days' travel to the foot of the pass."

  "Three days in the mountains beyond that, perhaps," I murmured, "through the pass, and..."

  "...and the Far Kingdoms will lie beneath us," Janos finished.

  We shouldered our gear and started toward that stream. I could have flown or floated the distance. No longer did I feel where the wilderness' thorns had snagged my skin, nor my stubbed toes and worn soles. We had done it. We had gone where no Orissan or Lycanthian had ever gone. I knew in that moment not just that we had made history, but we had changed all history to come. Once we saw the Far Kingdoms on the far side of that pass, and if we returned safely - which I was certain we would - nothing would ever be the same again.

  I noted a pair of Watchers far distant to the side, away from the direction we would travel in, but paid little heed.

  We were less than a dozen yards beyond the treeline when the trumpet blast sounded. From a copse a few spearcasts away rode three horsemen. Then, from around its side rode another twenty. These were not Watchers - we could hear the calloo of their shouts - shouts exactly like Orissan hunters yelp when the boar breaks cover and they couch their spears and go after it. Nor were these cavalrymen dressed in the immaculate parade-ground armor of the Watchers, but instead in the practical steel-reinforced leather of earthly soldiers. I saw men rise up in their stirrups, drawing bows. Three arrows thudded into the ground just yards in front of us, and we turned and were running. We darted back into that wilderness, and I have never been so glad to see brambles, tangles, vines and strangling bushes as in that moment.

  I needed no guidance from Janos to now think like a startled hare, a ground squirrel, hedgepig or badger being run by hounds or hunters. Behind us, as we tore our way through the brush, vines trying to hold us back as if we were in a small child's nightmare, we heard horses crashing into the forest fringes, shouts, orders, and commands. Now they would lose time, dismounting and following us afoot; or perhaps going back out and riding around the forest to lay an ambush. Neither course mattered - the two of us could hide in these thickets for years, until they brought up entire armies to comb for us. And we could outwait them here in these woodlands that were now as precious to me as my own bedchamber had been when winter's storms roared.

  My spirit soared and sang. We had seen the Fist of the Gods. Now all that we needed to do was lose our pursuers, return to the Rift, and then, moving with great cleverness, reassay the journey. Our men would have recovered by now, and Sergeant Maeen and our soldiers were more than able to stand off any cavalry patrol we were unable to elude.

  There was nothing that could stop us. We would enter the Far Kingdoms before winter.

  Or so I thought. But when we returned to the Rift we found only Deoce and Sergeant Maeen waiting. The others had abandoned us.

  Janos and I had traversed the foothills and the rolling country without real incident. There had been patrols on the land looking for us. All of them were composed of very material, very real soldiery. They were competent, Janos assessed. But using his woodcraft skills, we were able to slip past them easily. Plus, Janos supposed, they were seeking a much larger party - we would be taken as the party's outriders or scouts. We refrained from using the talisman for a back plot, instead using my carefully drawn map Janos had muttered at as a waste of time.

  Then, safely in the Rift, I felt my world totter, seeing the wreckage that bastard Evocator had wrought. No one said anything while I raged. Janos stalked off, blackfaced, toward the lake.

  I found control, and asked what had happened. Just two days after Janos and I had left Sergeant Maeen had fallen ill. Cassini must have seen that as his chance. That night, strange smokes and colors had come from his hut.

  The next dawn he had announced, somberly, that evil had struck Janos and myself. We had fallen into the hands of an enemy. He was not even sure we still lived.

  I cursed Cassini with all the foul oaths I could think of. Then I said: "Deoce, what did you do? I am sorry he brought you false grief."

  Deoce shook her head. "I did not grieve, Amalric. I knew you were alive and unharmed."

  "How?"

  "Believe me... when... if you ever pass beyond... I will know. I will know."

  I did not ask further. "So after Cassini announced his lies?"

  Deoce had tried to argue, had asked Morning Fog to cast bones to confirm her own feelings. Morning Fog had found no indication we had come to harm. But neither had he found signs of our well-being. So, Cassini said, the party must immediately retreat - back to the Pepper Coast... and then Orissa.

  At this point I thought Sergeant Maeen, who was nearly recovered from his bout with the sickness, would burst into tears. "I trained them," he said brokenly. "I thought I knew those bastards. I thought... I thought they would stand firm."

  They did not, especially when Cassini announced his spell indicated we had left signs... signs that would leave a trail back to the Rift for our enemies. No matter that the Rift leaders had said this could not happen. Panic set in - within a day they had gathered supplies, packed the animals, went up the stairs and out of the Rift, heading west.

  "I cursed them," Deoce said. "But I am not an Evocator. I asked Dawn hope to curse, too, but she said her people could not. That would kill the big spell, and they would be as naked as we were, out in that waste."

  "P'raps th' bastards'll die in the desert," Maeen growled. "O
r be eaten by th' pit creatures."

  "No." It was Janos. He had come back, and appeared to be quite under control. "No, that will not happen. I have my own prediction. Anyone fleeing the Far Kingdoms has little to fear, beyond the normal treacheries of this land. Somehow I feel Cassini will make it all the way to Orissa."

  "Then we shall deal with him there," I said grimly.

  "If we are able. But that is not of great concern," Janos said, and I saw his eyes shining like they did when he first told me of his grand dream. I knew his meaning. We had failed, true. But this was only the first time. There would be another, and another, and yet another if needed. I extended my hand, and Janos clasped it.

  We would return, by the gods - and this time the Far Kingdoms would be ours.

  * * *

  PART TWO:

  THE SECOND VOYAGE

  * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  HEROES AND LIARS

  We sped into Orissa's main harbor two months later; a stiff, late morning breeze at our backs. Despite the hour there was no one around to admire L'ur's skillful handling of the Kittiwake Two, as he came about in a feisty wind and brought us to dock. I scanned the riverfront for familiar faces, but there was only a derelict or two to return my gaze, and an old fisherman repairing a net.

  "I see you have only slightly exaggerated the grandeur of Orissa, Amalric my love, " Deoce said, dryly. "The teeming harbor, the broad avenues, the hustle bustle of the market place." She glanced about the empty riverfront again, then turned to Janos. "Tell me, Janos, is it always this crowded, or did I only arrive on a particularly busy day?" Janos shook his head, as puzzled as I.

  "I don't understand," I said. "Normally we'd barely be able to hear one another over the babble."

  Deoce laughed. "There he goes again, trying to turn the head of the pretty barbarian girl." She deepened her voice, to mock a man's: "Yes, my dear, I am a great man in my own country. A rich man. With a fine villa and many servants. Now, if you'll only tarry in my tent a moment or two longer..." She pinched me for the frown I wore on my brow. "There, there. Even if you are poor, I'll love you just the same."

  "Believe me, Deoce," Janos said, enjoying her joke, "our friend is not poor. Take my word for it."

  "Oh, I will, Janos. I will," Deoce said. "But in future, please spare me descriptions of..." she flung out her hand to take in the empty riverfront "...teeming harbors."

  I leaped from the ship and strode over to the old fisherman. "Where is everyone, grandfather?" I asked.

  He peered up with rheumy eyes, his gnarled fingers tying knots in the net as he considered me, my costume, and my two companions. "You're in bad luck if you're set on unloadin' today," he said, nodding at the Kittiwake Two. "Fact, you'da been in bad luck yesterday, and the day afore yesterday, and the day afore that as well." He shook his head at our imagined misfortune, loving every moment of it. "And mark my words, tomorrow it'll be just the same. Maybe after that, things'll be back t' normal. Although there's lots a folks bound to be in line ahead of ya. Lots of `em.

  "We'll be fine, grandfather," I said, "although I thank you for your concern. I only want to know what has happened. Where did everyone go?"

  "You look Orissan," the old man said, "so I guess you musta been away a long time if you don't know." He eyed Deoce, letting his beady gaze linger a moment. "She ain't Orissan," he said. His gaze jerked away just as Deoce's temper began to boil, and came to the coin I held out. He whisked it away and resumed his knot tying. "Thankee for that," he said. "I got a powerful thirst that needs tendin'. Now, for your question, young lord. `N my answer. There's big doin's. Been big doin's, four, maybe five days, now. Most folks've got sick heads from all the celebratin'. Only reason I ain't got a sick head, is I run outa coin. Drank my purse flat empty, I did."

  "And what are these big doings in celebration of, my friend?" Janos asked.

  "You boys musta been gone for a spell," the old man said. "Didn'tcha know we went and found the Far Kingdoms?"

  I exchanged glances with Janos and Deoce. "That is amazing news," I said.

  The old man wheezed laughter. "Not by half, it ain't," he said. "Why, us Orissans're on top all the way now, for sure. And the Lycanthians'll be swallowin' our wake. `Course, we didn't actually set foot in `em, but it's close as dammit, I tell you. Close as dammit'."

  "And who is the hero who came so close?" I asked, barely keeping an edge out of my tone.

  "A young Evocator," the old man said. "Fella wasn't worth much before, I hear tell. But he sure is worth somethin' in folks' eyes now. His name's Cassini. Maybe you heard of him?"

  "Yes. I have." Was my only reply.

  "Well, Cassini is probably the biggest hero Orissa's ever had," the old man continued. "He got back a few months ago. The powers that be kept a lid on it for awhile, `til they'd heard the whole story. But it weren't no use. Whole city was buzzin' with it. I mean, we all thought the Far Kingdoms was just a suckling's story, right? But now we know it's true. Pretty soon we're gonna go back, and we'll be shakin' hands with the folks in the Far Kingdoms. Then there won't be nothin' to stop us. Yessir, there's glory days ahead for Orissa. And I'm just glad I lived long enough to see it. From here on out, we're all gonna be rollin' in gold and pleasures."

  The old man grinned, displaying blue gums. "Anyway, they decided to make a big announcement. Which they done. And the Evocators and magistrates declared a whole week of feastin'. Which we're almost at the end of right now. This aft'noon, in fact, every citizen who ain't too drunk's supposed to get together at the Great Amphitheater. Cassini's gonna get some big honors. Plus, he's probably gonna get to lead the next expedition. Which they're settin' up right now. And they're gonna go at it right, this time. No little stuff, with just a coupla soldiers. But a big force. And I tell ya, nothin'll stand in our way. Yessir, it's a proud time to be an Orissan."

  Sudden urgency hammered at my temples. "We had better hurry to my father's house," I said to Janos and Deoce. They did not question me, but as we started away the old man called: "Who might you be, young lord? Give me a name to toast when I cash your kind gift at the tavern."

  I whirled back; the game playing done: "I am Amalric Emilie Antero. At your service."

  The old man looked at me, gaping. Then he hooted. "Amalric Antero. That's a good `un. But I wouldn't try it on anybody else, young lord. Because the Far Kingdoms was his Finding. `Cept, old Amalric never made it back. He and the rest are deader'n fish stink. Cassini seen `em get it. "

  It was no surprise Cassini had declared us dead. He'd already tested his lies on Sgt. Maeen and Captain L'ur; and he'd had many weeks to rehearse before he arrived in Orissa. On our own journey home, I'd agonized over my family's reaction to his grim news. Worry had put wings on our feet. Loyalty had also aided our speedy return, for L'ur had given Cassini's tale as little credence as Sgt. Maeen. When Cassini showed up, he agreed to carry the Evocator to Redond - but no farther. There the good captain had waited, keeping the bargain I'd struck on the Pepper Coast.

  "It didn't ring true the likes of Cassini would be the only one to make it," he'd said. "I told him: `I'll stuck by young Antero, sir. And Cap'n Greycloak.' Cassini didn't like it, but there weren't much he could do, seein' how he needed me to get him a berth on a fast ship to Orissa."

  Now, as I rushed to my father's villa, all my hatred for Cassini came to a boil. The hatred proved well-founded: I discovered my father lingering near death, and my sister, Rali, was in a torment when she saw me, fearing the shock of even good news would push him to the other side. She went in to prepare him for my resurrection, and in a while she returned to lead me to his room. I was shocked at the sight of him lying weak and ghastly in his bed. His frame had shrunk to that of an old man's and his flesh was waxen and hung loose from those frail bones. But his eyes, set deep in that death mask, were alive with delight when he saw me. "Thank Te-Date, you are safe," he gasped. I was so overcome I flung myself to my knees and nearly wept. "Do not cry, Amalric," my father comfor
ted. "An hour ago I felt the Dark Seeker's presence. I was tempted to let him carry me away; instead, I drove him off. But if I had not..." he put a shaky hand on my head "...I would never know this happiness."

  He coaxed me up and patted the bed beside him. I saw color returning to those pale cheeks. "Come, tell me your adventures, son," he said. "Did you find the Far Kingdoms?"

  "No," I said. "But I saw the black-fisted mountains. And I saw passage to the other side."

  "I knew it," my father said. "All those years I dreamed. Now I know those dreams were more than a fool's delight."

  I sat with him for a short time, giving him a brief account of our adventures. But of them all, he was most delighted by the news I had returned with my future wife. He gripped my hand. "No matter what lies ahead, Amalric," he said, "treasure her above all things. And you will die a happy man." His grip relaxed, his eyes closed, and for a moment I feared he might have died. But I saw the smile on his face, and a gentle fluttering of his beard. He was asleep. I crept out of the room to join the others.

  My sister was torn between fury at Cassini and joy at our safe return. "The bastard's stolen all the credit," she was saying as I entered. "It is you who is the hero, Janos Greycloak. You, and my brother."

  "The question," Janos said, "is how to reply. To tell the truth, I don't much care for the hero's mantle. It is too heavy, gives more discomfort than ease, and is too easily ripped away."

  "But they are preparing for the next expedition as we speak," I said. "And it is a hero they want to lead it. Right now, that hero is Cassini."

  "He's a liar," Deoce said. "Challenge him for the harm his lies have done. Then kill him. This is how we women of Salcae would deal with such a man."