by D. L. Kramer
Within a couple of days, they reached the edge of the woods. On Kile's suggestion, they filled their waterskins at the tiny stream. They still had plenty of dried food; Paki and Bear were able to find them fresh food each day they were in the woods.
Leaving the woods behind, Kile led them along the foot of the mountains until they reached a riverbed. A thin trickle of water ran down its' middle, but other than that, no water could be seen.
Kile led them into the riverbed and began the trip through the mountains. Midday the second day, he led them out of the riverbed and into a narrow pass. They saw no water or sign of life for almost three days and they depended solely on their waterskins and dried food. The horses managed to find a few stubby sage bushes to eat, but little else. The end of the week was marked by the reappearance of bushes and a few sparse trees, something they were all glad to see.
Paki was just beginning to think Kile had made a wrong turn when the air around them suddenly seemed to change. Kile spurred Nicho forward with the rest close behind him. They reached the top of a sharp rise and were greeted by hundreds of acres of grasslands and corrals spread out below them. Large stables and houses dotted each ranch and herds of horses grazed in each corral. Nicho pranced restlessly when Kile pulled him in.
"That tower is Lord Othon's," Kile said, pointing to the large grey tower at least two leagues in the distance. "Chances are he's been expectin' us for the last two weeks."
"How did he know when we'd be here?" Paki asked.
"They're not called the Wardsman's Woods because someone liked the name," Adie pointed out. "The Dwellers know when someone travels through them, especially if they're heading north." She smiled. "The Wardsman tells them who's in the woods."
Paki nodded his head, remembering when he was certain there was someone else in the woods with them. "Who's the Wardsman?" he asked.
"No one knows," Kile shrugged. "No one's seen 'im."
"Then how do you know he's there?" Bear asked.
"He's always been there," Kile answered. "For as long as anyone can remember, the Wardsman 'as kept 'is woods as a sort of sanctuary. I know nothin' dies there that wasn't supposed to in the first place." He gave Paki a meaningful look and Paki nodded in understanding. He'd thought more than once that the game had almost been too easy to find. "Well, let's not keep Othon waitin'." Spurring Nicho down the hill, Kile led them into the Dwellers' valley.
Twelve - "Thy attempt at concealment is ill-met"
As they passed by the ranches on their way to Othon's tower, the Dwellers looked up from their work to wave. Many of them dressed in the horsehide vests and breeches Jaron and Tosia had worn. Paki was aware the air here held a constant nip of early winter, even for the warmest part of autumn. No doubt the winters here were bitterly cold.
Othon's tower grew larger as they approached, and Paki could eventually see a large rectangular building coming off the base, where he guessed the main living area and rooms like the kitchens were. The tower itself was larger than he'd first thought, easily able to accommodate a number of rooms itself as well.
They reached the tower in good time and were met outside by Othon's stablemaster. As they each dismounted, he took their reins and gave each horse a quick once over, nodding to himself about some things, while shaking his head about others. Giving Kile a final nod, he led the four horses into the stable.
"Othon should be upstairs," Kile said, motioning for them to follow him. "He doesn't get down to greet guests much anymore."
"Why?" Paki asked, smiling as Bear dropped the kit down the front of his tunic. The little animal squirmed around, then curled up against his skin and was still.
"He can't walk," Adie supplied. "A horse fell on him about fifteen years ago, breaking both his legs. After they healed, they weren't strong enough to support his weight for more than a few steps."
Kile pulled one of the heavy doors open and held it while Adie led the boys into the tower. Inside, they were greeted by a crackling fire in the huge stone fireplace at the far end of the entry. Paki noted there didn't seem to be any guards posted or anyone who seemed to be on any sort of watch duty around the tower. The Dwellers around the tower and lower building all seemed caught up in their normal routines, though a quick nudge from Bear pointed out that most of them also appeared to be carrying weapons.
"He's probably up in the main study," Kile said after securing the door behind them. "It's this way." Taking the lead, he led them to another door, then to a well-lit staircase behind it. The stairs ended at a wide hall that was lined with doors on either side.
Paki was amazed at the detail carved into the doors they passed. Each door was carved with a different scene, though horses remained the prominent theme. He could make out individual hairs from the horses' manes and tails, as well as the grain of the leather armor the riders wore. Bear noticed the carvings too, and pointed out details that Paki missed. A couple of the doors showed battle scenes, with Dwellers fighting against tall, heavily muscled men and strange, snake-like beasts. In each one, the Dwellers were obviously victorious.
Kile finally stopped outside a door carved with a rearing horse and knocked loudly. A muffled reply came from within the room and he opened the door.
The room was furnished with bare furniture, rather than the overstuffed couches and chairs of Bavol Hold. A carved couch with a thin cushion sat at an off angle from the fireplace with carved chairs across from it.
Sitting in one of the chairs, an open book on his lap, was a man not much older than Kile, if at all. His light brown hair hung in wisps around his light colored eyes and the sternness of his square jaw offset the expectant smile on his face. Both his right and left leg and foot were twisted slightly inward toward each other. Another Dweller sat writing at a desk against the far wall.
"Kile," the man greeted, his voice a deep rumble. Next he looked at Adie, smiling faintly. "Adiella," he nodded to her, then stopped on Paki and Bear, his eyes studying them. "How is thy kit?" he asked Bear.
Bear and Paki exchanged looks.
"Fine," Bear answered. "How'd you know I had one?"
Othon chuckled. "The Wardsman hath told me," he answered, then looked at Paki. "I trust thy journey went well, Young Master?" he asked.
Paki sighed and started to ask Othon not to call him that when Adie put her hand on his shoulder.
"He prefers Paki," Kile said. "The other lad is Bear."
Othon motioned to the couch and chairs. "Please, sit, I'll have rooms readied for thy stay and dinner prepared."
They each moved to sit while Othon turned and motioned to the other Dweller. He stood with a silent nod and went to leave, then paused by the door. "Shall I have thy own dinner prepared with theirs?" he asked Othon.
Othon nodded his head, then turned back to his guests. "Thy journey brings news?" he asked Kile.
"Aye," Kile nodded his head. "Mo'ani is goin' to be rotatin' the regiments. There's a chance ye'll be without any protection for a day or so. If ye think there'll be a problem, I'm here to see what I can arrange."
Othon smiled. "No doubt with thee here now, Captain," he said. "Any church guards who hath braved the Wardsman are undoubtedly quaking in their boots."
"Oh, please," Adie rolled her eyes. "That's just what he needs to hear."
Othon chuckled again, then paused and studied the wall beside the fireplace. "Thy attempt at concealment is ill-met, Jerai, so thee might as well come out."
Paki and Bear looked at each other, then stared with wide eyes as a narrow panel beside the fireplace slid away, letting a boy about their own age into the room. He sheepishly slid the panel back into place then came to stand beside Othon. His hair was a darker brown than Othon's, and hung in the same wisps around his eyes. He also had Othon's square jaw.
"Thou remembers my son, Captain?" Othon asked Kile.
Kile nodded his head. "Ye were about half that size last time I was 'ere," Kile commented.
Othon turned to Paki and Bear, then looked up at Jerai. "Why
don't the three of thee go down to the corrals," he suggested.
"Father, I wanted to--" Jerai started.
"Go." Othon's voice became steel hard and Jerai backed down immediately. He walked to the door and opened it while Paki and Bear stood up to follow. With just a glance, they had agreed that neither of them would argue with Othon. Crippled or not, it was apparent that only a fool would try to take him on.
Jerai closed the door behind them and slouched on the opposite wall.
"He's really not being very fair," he decided. "It was a very good hiding place. The Wardsman must have told him I'd found it."
Paki and Bear exchanged looks again. Paki noticed that Jerai didn't speak like the other Dwellers and he wondered why, but didn't ask.
"You spy on your father much?" Bear asked.
Jerai shrugged. "Of course," he said. "How else will I know what's going on?"
"You could just ask," Paki suggested.
"He won't tell me," Jerai pushed off the wall and began walking towards the door at the end. "I've tried asking him."
Paki and Bear followed after him. "So, who's this Wardsman?" Bear asked as Jerai opened the door leading to the entry.
"It's not a who, it's a what." Jerai opened the heavy outer door and led them into the courtyard. "It's always a bird of prey. Sometimes it's a hawk, sometimes it's an owl, I've even seen it as an eagle once."
Paki looked at Bear, who only shrugged. They followed Jerai to the stables. Once inside, he led them to the stalls where their horses were. Chase was butting his head against the door of his stall.
"Now quit that," Jerai ordered, reaching over and taking Chase's halter. He lifted his head up to eye level. "The water is not too cold and your blanket does not itch," he continued. "If you don't behave yourself, you won't be let out into the corral."
Much to Paki's surprise, Chase rubbed his nose against Jerai's cheek, then turned and took a mouthful of hay. Paki looked at Bear.
"How'd you do that?" Bear asked.
"Can't you?" Jerai returned, moving to the stallion's stall. He reached over and scratched the stallion's nose. "You can have more apples later," he said.
"You can talk with them like Kile can Nicho, can't you?" Paki asked. It was obvious to him what Jerai was doing.
"It's not that hard," Jerai turned to look at them. "They don't have to be one of our horses for us to understand them."
"I thought your horses were the only ones who could bond like that," Bear commented. "I didn't think regular horses could."
"They just speak a different language," Jerai shrugged. "Not very many people know how to understand them, though." A nicker at one end of the stable drew his attention. "I'll be there in a minute," he called.
"Can anyone learn how to understand them?" Bear asked.
"Sure," Jerai shrugged. "The captain's a good example of someone who's not a Dweller who can talk with any horse."
"That's right," Paki agreed. "He can."
"Here's my regular horse," Jerai said, leading them over to the horse who had nickered at him. "She's almost as old as your stallion," he said to Paki. The mare nuzzled his cheek, then lipped his fingers when he reached up to pet her. "Her name's Aloyse, she's Nicho's dam."
Paki reached up and stroked her neck. Like Nicho, she was white, except for a few stray black hairs on her back. Aloyse lipped his fingers and started to stretch her neck toward Bear, then stopped and snorted.
"She doesn't like your kit," Jerai told Bear.
"That's okay," Bear shrugged. "Chase doesn't mind him."
"Master Jerai?" The Dweller from Lord Othon's study appeared in the stable. "Thy table hath been set and thy father asks for thy presence."
"All right," Jerai answered. "Tell him we're coming."
The man bowed his head and turned to leave the stable.
"How come you don't talk like they do?" Bear asked.
"They only expect it if you're an adult," Jerai shrugged as they left the stable and walked back to the tower. "It always sounds too formal to me, so I don't." He held the heavy door open, letting it fall shut behind them. "My father asks that I respect him and I do, so one day I'll have to give in and start."
Jerai led them down to the dining hall. Kile was helping Othon settle into his chair at the head of the table and Paki noticed Lord Othon not only used two canes, but also needed someone to help support his weight. Adie motioned to two chairs for Paki and Bear, then sat down beside them while Kile sat across from her. Jerai took the seat beside his father.
The table was set with bowls of fruit, steaming vegetables and fresh venison. Each plate had its' own loaf of bread and small pitcher of water beside it.
"How's Aloyse?" Kile asked Jerai.
"Fine," Jerai smiled faintly. "She was glad to see Nicho."
"I'm sure Nicho's glad to be 'ere," Kile sighed. "I could barely hold 'im in when we got to the top of the hill."
"Now you know what I go through with Chase every time I ride him," Bear muttered. The kit had smelled the venison and had climbed to the top of Bear's tunic. Paki finished dishing up his plate, then took the kit while Bear dished up his own.
"Allow me to get thy friend's pet something in the kitchen, Young Master," one of the servants said, appearing next to Paki. She took the kit, nodded to each of them, then carried it toward the kitchen.
"She's not going to kill it, is she?" Bear asked.
"No," Kile said. "Unless it gets into the chicken coops."
Bear stared after the servant for several long seconds until Paki elbowed him.
"Lady Adiella tells us thou art interested in stories of the gods and goddesses," Othon said to Paki.
"I was," Paki shrugged. "I think I've just about found them all now."
"I would wager we hath some here thou hast never heard," Othon promised. "Jerai can show thee the library in the morn."
"I was going to go run the herds with Jaron tomorrow," Jerai reminded.
"Then thou should show him tonight," Othon leveled a stern gaze on his son.
Kile looked over at Paki and Bear. "We'll be here for a couple of weeks," he said. "So ye can wander around the ranches as ye wish, just don't cause any trouble, and don't leave the valley, especially to the north."
"What's to the north?" Bear asked.
"The north boundary of Herridon," Kile replied. "Once ye cross those passes, ye're in Northmarch, and we don't need any dealin's with the Marchers right now. We've got enough problems of our own without involvin' them."
Paki and Bear exchanged looks, then both nodded. They'd both heard of the mountain wars with the Marchers, and regardless of who won each battle, it was accepted that the Marchers were a fierce race of warriors. There had been a tentative peace kept between the two lands for a couple of decades, and both sides tended to keep to themselves now.
They finished their dinner and Jerai showed them where their rooms were, then where the library was. Paki was too tired to look through the scrolls and books, and by the next morning had all but forgotten about the library.
He and Bear spent the next day wandering around the ranches. The Dwellers were all open and friendly and were more than willing to give them directions or answer questions. If they were riding, the horses were given small treats by anyone they spoke with. They both noticed there was no marketplace or village and Kile told them the Dwellers traded among themselves and had no need of one. He also pointed out that with no marketplace, no altars, no temples and no cathedral, the Archbishop couldn't force them to worship the gods his way.
Jerai returned that night, and starting the next day, he spent most all his time with Paki and Bear. Jerai began showing them all of the hidden halls, alcoves and tunnels he had found. The tower was filled with them, as were most of the older ranches. Many of the tunnels ran beneath the ranches, interconnecting them and were large enough to accommodate many men at a time. Jerai explained that the tunnels had been made by creatures called snowfangs, explaining that the tunnels had existed when the first D
wellers settled into the valley even though the snowfangs were long gone from their land. It was obvious they weren't made by hand, as each one was rounded and almost uniform in size and shape. Jerai did tell them that the northernmost tunnels ended at what were obviously collapsed ceilings, sealing them off from whatever lie to the north and presumably keeping the snowfangs from ever returning to them.
Their two weeks went by quickly and Paki felt he had just begun to see the Dwellers' way of living. He understood now why Kile had spent so much time in the valley; they still talked of Nahtan and the many problems with the Archbishop, but the Dwellers seemed to have more control over their lives than any other people he'd seen.
Mo'ani warriors were stationed at several spots throughout the valley, but they dressed, spoke, worked and acted like the Dwellers, blending in so well, no church guard would be able to identify them.
When it neared the day to leave, Paki found himself wishing they had more time. Talking with Bear, his friend felt the same way. The only thing Paki didn't like about the Dwellers was their persistence in calling him "Young Master".
The night before they were supposed to leave, both Paki and Bear were quieter than usual. Jerai had suggested they ask if they could stay, but neither of them wanted to be the one to bring it up. They were equally quiet during dinner.
"Have ye enjoyed ye'reselves?" Kile asked, pushing his empty plate away.
"Yes," Paki said quietly, taking a small bite of his now-cold meat.
"Thou doth not look too happy," Othon commented.
Paki shrugged and began breaking a slice of bread into small pieces.
"As a matter of fact, none of ye do," Kile added, looking from Paki to Bear, then from Bear to Jerai.
"It's just going to be a long trip back," Bear offered. "I didn't really care for the woods that much." He gave the fast-growing kit on his lap another piece of meat. Paki briefly wished he had something he could feed all of his dinner to.