by D. L. Kramer
"Lord Mo--" The woman's face paled. "My husband will surely die," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears again. Burying her face in her hands, she fell to weeping against the cold stone floor.
Bear motioned to Paki and they both hurried from the room.
"Well?" Jayehl asked after locking the door behind them again.
"She's from Edgewind," Paki said. "The same place I am." He was still startled at hearing the real reason behind the auctioning of the children.
"She says they're innocent," Bear finished. "I think she's just got too many tears stored up and wanted to use a few of them."
Jayehl nodded his head. "The Lieutenant should be about done, why don't you see what the man will tell you?"
"Sure," Bear shrugged.
"We really ought to get our stuff ready to go tomorrow," Paki reminded.
"I already did," Bear smiled. "While you were in the library."
Paki sighed and settled down to wait. A part of him hoped the man wasn't from Edgewind. He wished he could speak like Kile, or with the faint accent Bear had, but didn't know how. Thinking about it, he supposed to both Kile and Bear, he sounded like he was the one with the accent and not them.
Several minutes passed before Lieutenant Gharald came from the man's room. He nodded to the boys, then had Jayehl unlock the woman's room for him. After the door was closed behind him, Jayehl let them into the man's room.
The young man stood looking out the window. He turned when the door opened, then turned back when he saw it was only Paki and Bear.
"Excuse me, sir," Bear said. "But I need to clean the sill."
The man shrugged and moved to sit on the bed while Bear went to work on the windowsill and Paki turned to the table.
"Tell me how she is," he said. "If we try talking through the windows we get garbage thrown at us."
Paki was relieved to hear he wasn't from Edgewind.
"Who?" Bear asked.
"My wife, Mowik. I know you were in there, I heard your voice and her crying."
Paki saw Bear's knuckles grow white as his hand tightened on the rag.
"She was crying because she found out you have no chance to live," Bear replied, his voice almost too calm. "Lord Mo'ani isn't very forgiving of sympathizers within his land."
The man snorted. "Are you trying to threaten me? Lord Mo'ani died decades ago."
"Guess someone ought to tell him," Bear shrugged, then paused to level a cold look on the man. "If you're in another keep than Mo'ani's, then I'd hate to see what'll become of your wife when you're dead. You realize it's customary for many lords to turn the wife or daughters of prisoners over to the soldiers, don't you? I'd hope for your wife's sake that our lord is Mo'ani, at least then she'll be protected."
Paki realized Bear took great delight in the man's sudden concern. He couldn't blame him, the man's open contempt for him permeated the room.
"What would your lord want to ensure her safety?" the man asked Paki.
Paki shrugged.
"You were found wearing one of the Archbishop's pendants," he said. "Lord Mo'ani doesn't care much for the Archbishop's sympathizers."
"The pendant is my brother's," the man said, then paused. "Where are you from, boy?"
Paki shrugged again. "All over. I traveled all my life." He really wasn't lying. He had traveled for most of his life. "Whoever the pendant belongs to doesn't matter. You were wearing it."
"Only to get us past the church's borders!" the man stood up angrily. "Why won't anyone believe that?"
Paki turned when he finished with the table. "You've given us no reason to believe you," he stated. "You've insulted my friend and made no effort to cooperate."
As if on cue, Jayehl opened the door for them and Paki and Bear walked out. Jayehl locked the door behind them when they were safely in the hall again.
"I could have ripped his throat out," Bear grumbled, dropping the bucket and rag. The dirty water almost sloshed over the side.
"I don't think Mo'ani would have liked that," Paki said, setting his own bucket down. "He's a fool."
Jayehl chuckled. "Mo'ani's planning on having a public trial for them if Gharald finds enough evidence," he told the boys. "Too bad you won't be here for it."
"Send us news if he's guilty," Bear requested. "And I'll expect full account of his death."
"I'll see what I can do," Jayehl promised.
"Come on," Paki said. "Let's go make sure everything's ready for the morning. I'm sure Kile and Adie will need help packing food and other supplies for the trip."
Bear sighed and nodded his head as they started back down the hall.
Ten - "Keep a rein on those two"
They left early the next morning, taking along only packs for their horses. Much of the food they took with them was dried and Paki was surprised they weren't taking along more water. Both Kile and Adie assured him there were plenty of places to get water along the way.
The route Kile mapped out for them traveled west to Herridon, then north to the Wardsman's Woods. They would stay in the Woods until they reached the foot of a mountain range. On the other side of the mountains was the Dwellers' valley. Kile promised they wouldn't be sleeping by the road every night.
Very few people were up as they checked the packs one last time before leaving. Mo'ani had come to bid them farewell and good luck, as had Gharald and Tavish. As they left the Stronghold, the sky began to lighten.
Taking a side road, they bypassed the village center and connected with the road leading to Herridon. Judging by the distance, Paki guessed they should be there close to midday.
The sun rose to their backs and with it rose the people of Mo'ani's lands. Women and children began their daily treks to the community wells for the day's water while the men moved the flocks of sheep and cattle. Each farm they passed, the men and women raised their hands in greeting.
"Look," Bear tossed a burr from Chase's mane at Paki to get his attention. "They're all happy."
Paki caught Bear's reference to their discussion the previous day, but didn't answer him. None of these people were rich and their lives centered on hard work, but Paki couldn't deny that they were truly happy. He also knew they were happy because of Mo'ani.
Mo'ani took great pains to see to it his people were well cared for. His taxes weren't strict and if a farmer fell on hard times, Mo'ani was forgiving. Likewise if a woman lost her husband. Several of the women who helped at the Stronghold were widows from the village and farms. It was also common to see apprentices helping harvest the fields of those who had fallen ill.
Mo'ani's Way, Paki told himself. These people lived under and served a lord, but that lord worked every day to guarantee their well being.
By mid morning, they reached the heavier traveled merchants' road leading to the crown city. After stopping for a short breakfast, Kile led them on towards Herridon.
Within a couple of hours, the city's giant walls loomed ahead of them. The road became busier as merchants and farmers from all over made their way to sell their stock in the marketplace. Paki noticed Kile removing his cloak and Adie removing her sash before the first church guards were spotted. He watched as Kile took a signet ring from his belt pouch and slipped it on while Adie removed her ring bearing Mo'ani's crest.
"What's that?" Paki asked, motioning to the ring.
"My family crest," Kile answered, pulling the ring off and handing it to Paki to examine. "If any merchants try to bother us, it should be enough to scare them off."
Paki accepted the ring and studied it. An eagle with two arrows held in its' beak and a banner in its' talons was created in the finest detail against a black background.
"I'm going to ride ahead and see what we can expect," Adie said after folding her sash and tucking it into a saddlebag. "We don't need any surprises."
"Good idea," Kile nodded his head. "Whistle if ye have a problem."
"Or deal with it myself," Adie said before spurring her horse ahead. Bear moved to Adie's spot on Kile's oth
er side.
"What's it mean?" Paki asked, handing the ring back.
Kile studied it for a moment as he put it back on. "On my achievement of arms ye can actually read the banner. It says 'Lei T'Pirtors da li Gorrei'."
"What's that?" Paki asked.
"The War Bringers," Bear said quietly from Kile's other side. He smiled smugly when Kile looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Sir," he added.
"He's right," Kile nodded his head. "Like Mo'ani's, it 'ad a different meanin' once, but I see it as somethin' prophesied now."
"What did it mean?" Paki pressed. He hadn't realized Kile was also a member of the nobility. Kile never made any mention of a title or land of his own.
"Back about eight generations, the head of my family raised an army and conquered great expanses of land and great numbers of people. He 'ad an eagle who would fly with 'is scouts. People soon learned if they saw the eagle, a war was comin' to their land." Kile turned to Bear. "'ow did ye know what it meant?"
Bear smiled again. "My father believes in remembering the tyrants of the past," he shrugged. "Valerik Olorun was a favorite of scholars for a long time and I think I had to read every book written on him."
"Tyrants?" Kile asked.
"Nothing personal," Bear added. "But you have to admit, he was."
"Ye're as bad as Adiella," Kile muttered. "She insists I come from a long line of heathens."
"Better than coming from nothing," Paki said.
"Ye come from good people, Paki," Kile assured him. "Ye don't have a cruel bone in ye're body. Nicho would 'ave known if ye were lyin' when we met and it's because 'e saw what ye were that I helped with ye're horses." Kile paused to pat Nicho's neck. "He's a much better judge of character than I am."
"And a far sight better looking, too," Adie said, coming up from behind them and startling them all. Bear fell back and moved over to Paki's side while Adie resumed her spot.
"Don't do that!" Kile admonished her.
Paki looked at Bear, whose heart appeared to have skipped a beat just like his had.
"The Archbishop's got guards all over asking if anyone's seen you," Adie told Kile. "I also saw something interesting."
"What?" Kile asked.
"Kiril is being made a bishop. His prayer service is scheduled for four days from now."
"One step below BishopLord," Kile noted, shaking his head. "I can't believe 'e's happy servin' the Archbishop."
"I think we should go straight through the city," Adie suggested. "If we stop, someone will recognize you and we don't have time for a murder trial now."
"Agreed," Kile nodded his head, then looked at Paki and Bear. "No objections, I assume?"
"None here," Paki said. Bear nodded his head in agreement.
"Keep a rein on those two," Kile nodded to the stallion and Chase. "We don't need 'em tryin' to trample every church guard they smell."
Paki nodded his head, wrapping the stallion's reins around his hand a couple of times just to be safe.
Blending in with the crowd, they made it through the city's gates without being stopped by the church guards posted there. Kile moved ahead and quickly led them to the main streets that would lead to the opposite gates.
Paki's eyes moved quickly over everything going on around him. It seemed as though people were coming from and going in every conceivable direction. Vendors pushed carts along the streets, shouting out their wares. There were tall buildings, as well, some several levels above the ground. Painted wooden signs hung outside some of the doors, advertising the name of the business or merchant located within. The one thing that struck him, though, was that any sense of security and contentment was missing. No children laughed and played, no one joked or greeted others with any sort of happiness. It was as if a dark shadow had settled over the city, dampening everyone's moods.
"Are you sure you want to go this way?" Adie asked Kile as he turned onto a wide street. "The cathedral's on this road."
"And there's a twelve foot wall between it and the road," Kile reminded. "Besides, there aren't any battlements there to man."
Paki and Bear exchanged looks. Neither of them had seen the Grand Cathedral before. Isak had shown them drawings of it, but even he admitted the drawings didn't do it justice. Thinking about the elderly priest, Paki decided he was going to miss his visits every fortnight. The services he held had become a part of Paki's life. He found himself wishing Isak was there when they left, if for no other reason than for Paki to thank him.
Paki continued to watch the people they passed, searching for any sign of hope among them. The church guards scowled at anyone who approached them and the people hurried from place to place. Merchants yelled and argued with each other and buyers complained about bad deals. It seemed odd to Paki that Mo'ani's Hold could be so different while being so close to Herridon.
He remembered what Kile had told him about Mo'ani and that the only reason he hadn't been arrested was because he kept outmaneuvering the Archbishop. Paki couldn't shake the feeling that Mo'ani's Hold was also under a sort of protection from Zakris and his daughters. To lie so close to the Grand Cathedral and to be so outspoken against the Archbishop, Mo'ani should have been dead a long time ago. Especially for making alliances and raising an army to overthrow the Archbishop.
Then again, Paki reminded himself. Mo'ani was Captain of the Guard under the last three kings before the church claimed the throne. By age alone, he should have been dead.
Surprisingly, Paki wasn't overwhelmed by the size of Herridon. He had certainly never been in a city of its' size before, but the size seemed irrelevant to him.
"That must be the Cathedral," Bear said, pointing ahead as they rounded a curve.
Tall white walls rose on their right. Behind them, a huge domed building sat. As they passed the double iron gates, both Paki and Bear watched as the cathedral moved past. Unlike the temples, the Grand Cathedral was built entirely of grey flecked white stone and had no altar or brazier outside. Church guards stood at attention inside the gates and paid no attention to them as they passed.
"That's where the Archbishop is?" Paki asked when they had left the gates behind.
"Usually," Kile nodded his head. "He doesn't get out much anymore."
"How old is he now?" Bear asked.
Kile and Adie exchanged glances.
"He's about the same age as my grandfather," Adie said after a few minutes. "They've both been alive for over two centuries."
Paki was astonished to hear how old Mo'ani and the Archbishop were, but when he stopped to think about it, it made sense. As a matter of fact, it almost seemed natural to him.
They all stopped when the gates from the cathedral creaked and groaned as they started to swing open. Nicho let out a snort and both the stallion and Chase lurched forward.
"Down 'ere! Now!" Kile ordered, quickly turning down a side street.
They followed after him and Adie slid from her saddle, handing her reins to Kile.
"I'll meet you at the west gate," she promised. Turning down an alley, she quickly disappeared from sight.
"She'll keep anyone from followin' us," Kile said, tying Adie's reins onto Nicho's saddle. "Let's go." Spurring Nicho forward, he led Paki, Bear and Adie's horse down the side street to another main road.
Not bothering to slow down, the east gate came into view within an hour. Forced to slow to blend in with the people leaving the city, it took them another hour or so just to reach the gate.
Paki noticed they all seemed relieved when they passed through with no problems. Right outside the gates, a huge, wide bridge was built over a fast-moving river. It took several long minutes to pass over it with the crowd, then the road gently curved north before continuing straight.
Kile led them past the turn, then pulled in and led them off the side of the road.
"We'll wait for Adie here," he said.
"I wish we could have seen the palace," Bear said. "My father saw it once and told me what it looked like."
"With any l
uck Nahtan will come in ye're generation," Kile suggested. "Then ye'll see it."
"Two generations have thought that, sir," Bear pointed out. "I wish there was some way to know when he will come."
Kile nodded slightly. "That would make it too easy," he said. "This way we have to always be ready because he could come at any time."
"What if you miss it?" Paki asked Kile. "What if you leave the Stronghold before Nahtan comes?"
"I've no place to go," Kile pointed out. "My land is further away than even Bear's home. I doubt I'll see it again while I'm alive."
They fell silent as a wagon passed by. Hanging on the back was Adie. She jumped gracefully to the ground and walked to meet them.
"Any problem?" Kile asked, untying her reins and handing them to her.
"Just delivery wagons came out," she said, taking her reins and swinging up into her saddle. "So I went in while the guards were preoccupied with them."
"Didn't they see you?" Paki asked.
"No," Adie said simply. "Have any of you ever heard of someone named Tziyad?"
"No," Paki and Bear both said at the same time.
Kile shook his head. "Who is it?" he asked.
"That's what I'd like to know," Adie said. "Before I left I heard several people mention his name and it seems he's in some sort of position of power."
"We'll ask when we reach Bavol Hold," Kile said. "Lady Bavol might know, she hears some of the oddest things."
"Don't remind me," Adie rolled her eyes as they resumed the road and began heading north.
"We're stopping at Bavol Hold?" Bear asked, a smile growing on his lips.
"Yes," Adie smiled at him.
Bear returned her smile, then turned to Paki. "My brother is there," he explained. "I haven't seen him since I went to the Stronghold three years ago."
"I didn't know your brother wanted to be a Mo'ani too," Paki said. "Why didn't you say anything about it?"
Bear shrugged. "I guess I just never thought to," he said.
Paki pulled a burr from the stallion's mane and threw it at his friend.
"What do you say we make some time?" Kile suggested. "It's three days to Bavol Hold." Taking the lead, he spurred Nicho into a gallop and was quickly followed by Adie, Paki and Bear.