Chronicles of Nahtan Boxed Set #1: The First Three Herridon Chronicles Books: Mo'ani's Way, Halona's Way, Nahtan's Way

by D. L. Kramer

  Paki shrugged. "Kile's the one training me until I get back to the Stronghold," he said.

  Brijade turned to look at him. "Well then," she put her arms around his neck and kissed him fully on the mouth, pressing herself up against him. After several seconds, she pulled away, then patted his cheek. "I can fight just as dirty."

  Paki paused to catch his breath, not trusting himself to speak right away. His heart had pounded its way up into his throat and it took a couple of tries for him to swallow it back down. He hadn't realized a woman could have that sudden of an impact on him, but the combination of her kiss, her body pressing against his and the scent of leather and oil that drifted around her instead of perfume had almost completely blindsided him.

  "Do me one favor," he finally managed as she stepped away from him and after he'd managed to catch his breath again.

  "What?" Brijade's eyes were dancing in the moonlight.

  "If you're going to break Bear's heart, warn him first?"

  Brijade chuckled. "I'm not planning on breaking his heart," she said.

  "Good," Paki nodded, his heartbeat still not quite returning to normal. "I don't think Kile would like having you two at each other's throats."

  Paki and Brijade stayed by the lake for nearly an hour longer. The immediate sense of familiarity between them was easy, and there was a certain amount of safety in the sudden friendship. There was an instant kindred bond there that Paki knew he could trust completely. When they finally returned to Takis Hold, they took their horses to the stable. Paki unbridled Ayita and made sure she had water and her blanket over her before bidding Brijade goodnight and returning to his room in the keep.

  He knew he had done the right thing by stirring Brijade's interest in Bear. They both had a pain inside them that the other person would understand.

  Slipping silently back into the room, he undressed again and lay down, pulling his blanket over himself. Tiimu stirred on Bear's pillow, but stayed where he was. Grateful the woman's humming didn't return, he fell asleep, not dreaming for the first time in months.

  Four - "That wasn't subtle at all"

  The next morning, three hundred of Takis' most experienced Mo'ani set out for Valin Hold. At the same time, a rider was sent to Devayne Hold to tell Lord Devayne of Valin's position. After breakfast, Kile decided they would return to the Stronghold in a couple of weeks. He worked Paki and Bear into the training schedule of Takis Hold, setting them against the Takis apprentices. Paki worked his way through them all in the first week, losing very few matches. Not yet wanting to put him up against the cloaked warriors, Kile finally set him against Brijade.

  Paki was right Brijade couldn't disarm him, but her speed tested every one of his reflexes and instincts. Not wanting to hurt her, he held back. When it became apparent she was going to treat him like any enemy, he didn't have a choice but to counter her attacks using anything he could.

  In the end, he won, but only because of his experience wrestling with Bear. Brijade tried wearing him down, knowing eventually the weight of his sword would slow him and give her a chance to strike. Not about to let her do that to him, Paki waited for her to lunge, then grabbed her wrist with one hand, stuck a foot behind her and tripped her backwards. A split second later, he knocked her sword from her other hand and pinned her, out of breath.

  "So much for straight sword fighting," Brijade managed between tired breaths. She tried to push him off of her, but Paki outweighed her by enough that she wasn't able to even raise her hands from the ground.

  Paki smiled and stood up, offering her his hand. "I was tempted to throw you over my shoulder and dump you in the water trough," he replied.

  "Good thing for you, you didn't." She accepted his hand and pulled herself up, then dusted herself off. She retrieved her sword while Paki sheathed his.

  "Very good," Kile complimented, leaning on the fence. He turned to Brijade. "Ye're rider to Devayne just got back. Lord Devayne's half a day behind 'im, ye wouldn't know what prompted 'im to come, would ye?"

  Brijade picked up her sheath from the fence post and slid her sword into it. "My message told him you were here," she said simply. "Coming to visit was entirely his option."

  "With a subtle suggestion from ye?" Kile opened the fence gate for them.

  "I made no such suggestion," Brijade defended. "I did, however remind him that you two hadn't seen each other for quite some time."

  "You're right," Paki said. "That wasn't subtle at all."

  Brijade glanced at him as Kile chuckled.

  "Bear's just north of the hold target practicin' with Rouvin," he told Brijade, then looked at Paki. "And I'd like to have a word or two with ye, lad."

  Brijade tossed them both a salute, then turned toward the stables. In the days since she and Paki spoke by the lake, Brijade and Bear spent a couple of hours a day alone together. Paki overheard bits of their conversations, and the things they discussed doing to the church guards made his stomach turn. Kile didn't seem to mind them becoming close, but Paki thought he might change his mind if he knew Bear hadn't slept in their room for the last two nights.

  Kile led him back to the keep, then around to a side door Paki hadn't seen before.

  "What's this to?" Paki asked.

  "The armory," Kile answered. "Ye're gettin' fast enough with the sword, we need to weigh ye down a bit more."

  Paki paused in the doorway as Kile lit the lamps. Students didn't train with armor, not even leather.

  "I'm not an apprentice," he said evenly. Surely Kile hadn't forgotten that. He wasn't even near seventeen yet, and most students weren't moved to apprentice until their eighteenth year.

  After lighting the last lamp, Kile turned to look at him. The light flickered off both arms and armor, brightening the room even more.

  "I know," Kile said, motioning for him to close the door. Paki stepped forward and let the door swing shut behind him. "Ye've beaten almost every apprentice in Takis," he pointed out. "And most of 'em 'ere are trained harder than those at the Stronghold. If ye're goin' up against the Mo'ani themselves, ye'd better 'ave on more than ye're tunic."

  "But, Kile--"

  Kile looked at him. "As captain, it's my say on who gets moved to apprentice," he pointed out. "So what if ye're a couple years younger than the rest of 'em? Ye've also got more skill than most of 'em will 'ave, even when they're cloaked. Same with Bear and Brijade."

  Paki paused, that was going to be his next argument; he didn't want to be an apprentice until Bear was too.

  "I guess since you're not going to let me tell you no," Paki sighed.

  "No, I'm not," Kile tossed him a chain shirt, then a pair of greaves. "The gauntlets are there beside ye," he nodded with his head. "Ye can start trainin' with those tomorrow mornin'."

  "There's still half of today," Paki picked up a pair of gauntlets that looked the right size for his hands.

  "Lord Devayne's comin'," Kile reminded him, putting out the lamps at the back of the armory. "Once 'e gets here, I won't 'ave time to spend with ye."

  "Is there anything about Lord Devayne I should be warned about?" Paki asked, opening the door as Kile put out the last lamp. He remembered his warning about Lord Bavol all too well.

  Kile shrugged and follow him back out into the late morning sunlight. "I haven't seen him for several years," he said. "I'm not even sure how old he is now." Kile paused, obviously doing some quick adding in his head. "He'd be in his mid forties now maybe. He was always pretty even tempered before, so I don't imagine that's changed, but ye never know. He's also a self-confirmed bachelor, but that hasn't stopped 'im from fatherin' eight or nine kids with probably as many different mothers." He paused to look at the sun. "Why don't ye take that up to ye're room, then go find Bear and Brijade?" he suggested. "Tell 'er ladyship I'm not meetin' her guest by myself and I'd like to talk to Bear before Lord Devayne gets 'ere."

  "Sure," Paki turned to walk around to the main door into the keep.

  He took the armor up to his room, leaving it o
n his bed with his sword, then went back down to the gates, deciding to walk out to the practice range. As an apprentice, he would be expected to follow the set rules of Mo'ani's training. Students were given some leeway, but the apprentices weren't. As a first year apprentice, Paki would have to recognize and defer to any second, third or fourth year apprentice. If he wanted to argue with one of them, he would need to have his sword handy.

  Brijade and Essian's trail was easy to follow and it didn't take long before he heard the occasional "thunks" of crossbow bolts hitting their targets ahead of him. He caught a glimpse of Rouvin beside a large deadfall, then saw Brijade beside him. He saw no sign of Bear, but heard another crossbow bolt hit a target further ahead.

  Coming up beside them, he saw Bear laying on his stomach beside three apprentices. There were several feet between each young man and targets were set up almost fifty feet away from them, partially blocked by saplings. Each of the targets had several bolts planted in them, except Bear's. Almost a dozen bolts--nearly twice the number of the apprentices'--were planted firmly in the center.

  "Has he made them feel like they're all thumbs yet?" Paki asked.

  "He hasn't gotten to the gloating stage yet," Rouvin said, watching as Bear pulled out his cranequin and quickly reset the crossbow. He waited his turn, then fired, planting yet another bolt into the center of the target. "Last round," Rouvin called to the four young men.

  "These are the latest he's beaten," Brijade said to Paki.

  "I told you he likes shooting things," Paki reminded her. They watched as each fired his last shot, then stood up and dusted themselves off. Bear walked over to Paki, Brijade and Rouvin while the rest went to retrieve their bolts from the targets. "Kile wants me to tell you he's not meeting Lord Devayne alone, so he wants you to make sure you're there," Paki said to Brijade, remembering why Kile sent him. He turned to Bear. "And he wants to talk to you, too."

  "What does he want to talk to me for?" Bear asked, handing Brijade his crossbow and picking up a leather satchel. "Tell me in a second," he held up a gloved finger, then sprinted up to his target and pulled out his bolts, putting them in the satchel.

  "You can tell me now, though," Brijade said, lifting the heavy crossbow up to rest over her shoulder.

  "Actually, I'm not sure," Paki apologized with a shrug. "He didn't tell me why." Paki suspected Kile wasn't going to wait to make Bear an apprentice, but where Kile he hadn't come right out and said it, he didn't want to mention the possibility.

  Brijade narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't say anything.

  Bear walked back to them, the satchel over his shoulder. "So what does the captain want to talk to me about?" he asked.

  Paki shrugged again. "He didn't say," he answered. "But he wanted to talk to you before Lord Devayne got here."

  Rouvin made a last check to make sure all the bolts were accounted for, then dismissed them.

  Brijade was the only one who had ridden out, and she strapped Bear's crossbow to her saddle then led Essian back as they walked.

  Kile was waiting by the training yard when they came through the gates and he immediately motioned Bear over. Bear handed Paki his satchel the same time Brijade handed him the crossbow. Bear walked toward Kile while Paki took the satchel to the supply shed. By the time he returned the bolts and was leaving to take Bear's crossbow up to their room, Kile was leading Bear around to the armory.

  Paki smiled faintly and turned toward the main door.

  "So what's going on?" Brijade asked, catching the door as he pulled it open.

  Paki shrugged and stepped inside, Brijade right behind him. "I can't tell you," he insisted.

  Brijade ducked ahead of him and blocked his way up the stairs. "I know for a fact that crossbow weighs more than your sword. Sooner or later you'll get tired of holding it."

  Paki stopped, considering her for a moment. She was right, and she knew it. Putting the crossbow into his off hand, he nodded slowly.

  "Probably," he agreed. "But it'll take a while, and I'll be up in the room by then." Bending slightly, he scooped her onto his shoulder, then proceeded up the stairs, trying not to laugh as she kicked and hit at him.

  At the top of the steps, he turned, set her down, then walked to his and Bear's room.

  "You bastard," Brijade said, walking behind him.

  "Possibly," Paki shrugged. "I don't know who my father was." He paused as he opened the door, looking at her. "But I don't know who my mother was either, so I really don't know for sure."

  Brijade stood in the doorway as Paki set the crossbow on Bear's bed.

  "Why won't you tell me what's going on?" she asked.

  Paki sighed. "I just can't," he said. "You'll find out pretty soon anyway."

  Brijade glared at him for several seconds, then her eyes shifted into the room behind him. When she looked at him again, he could almost see her mind working.

  "So you're more loyal to the captain than to your best friend?" she finally asked.

  "What do you mean?" Paki asked, walking back to the door. Brijade stepped aside and he closed the door behind himself.

  "You won't even tell Bear you've been taken as an apprentice, but you'll let Kile do it?"

  "No," Paki shook his head. "If I didn't want Bear to know, I wouldn't have left the things on my bed." They started walking back toward the stairs. "Kile wants to promote him, too, and it's something Bear's wanted for a long time. Kile's the one who should tell him, so I wasn't going to."

  "You know," Brijade paused at the top of the stairs. "Bear told me you're closer to him than his brother." She considered him for a moment, then reached over and brushed the hair out of his eyes only to have it drop back down. "You two should keep training together. You're probably the only one who's kept him from heading off on his own."

  "He's not quite so hotheaded at the Stronghold," Paki shrugged. "But Mo'ani keeps a close eye on him." They started down the stairs. "I'd hate to see what he'd be like if Lord Bavol and Mo'ani hadn't kept him on a tight rein when he was younger."

  Brijade chuckled. "Is Lord Bavol as crusty as I've heard?" she asked.

  "Probably worse," Paki said. "Lady Bavol's pretty easy to get along with, but she's also about sixty years younger than him."

  "I've heard some stories about her," Brijade shook her head as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

  "M'lady?"

  They both turned to look at the apprentice walking down one of the hallways.

  "What?" Brijade called back.

  The apprentice picked up his pace, getting close enough so he wouldn't have to yell. "Lieutenant Rouvin is in his office, he'd like to speak with you for a moment."

  Brijade sighed as she turned back to Paki. "If he mentions the words 'crop shortage' or 'diseased cattle' I'm going to strangle someone."

  "Good luck," he wished her, turning to leave the keep as she followed the apprentice back down the hall to Rouvin's office. He couldn't imagine having to deal with the mundane details that came with having to run a hold. Just keeping up with training and maintaining the Mo'ani armies was a enough of a challenge, taking care of the other day to day things would make it all seem so overwhelming. It was no wonder the nobles relied so heavily on their officers and others.

  There was still no sign of Bear or Kile when Paki came out of the keep. He wandered toward the training yard to watch the two apprentices practicing inside the fence. Folding his arms, he set them on the top rail, then propped one foot on the bottom rail.

  He recognized the two immediately; he had quickly beaten them both when Kile paired him against them. Even their chain mail offered them no extra protection from his sword. He had pulled any hits that would have seriously injured either of them, but judging by the way the taller young man favored his off arm, Paki's strike still hurt.

  "They were talking about you last night," Rena said from beside him.

  Paki glanced at her, then turned his attention back to the training grounds.

  "Are they planning on attack
ing me when I don't have my sword or someone around to warn me?" he asked.

  "No," Rena shook her head. "Though I'm sure they've thought about it. Actually, they were wondering why you weren't an apprentice."

  Paki's smile grew.

  "I am," he shrugged, trying to make it sound casual.

  Rena studied him for a few seconds. "So that's what Lord Olorun and Lieutenant Rouvin were discussing," she said.

  "I guess," Paki turned to face her when the match ended. He made it a point not to look at her eyes. "What do you do? Just sneak around and listen to what people are saying?"

  It was Rena's turn to shrug. "Word has spread quickly here that I lived with Lord Gian. No one will come right out and talk to me."

  "I talk to you," Paki pointed out. "So do Bear, Kile and Adie."

  "It's just not the same," Rena pointed out. She looked at the two young men in the training yard. "You're very good," she said quietly. "I hadn't thought you'd learn the sword so quickly."

  Paki raised an eyebrow at her. "I didn't know you had such a personal interest in my sword arm," he said. "Not to mention so much faith in me."

  Rena bit her lower lip, she seemed suddenly unsure of what to say next. "I just--most of the young guards at the BishopLord's Manor in Valin took years to get where you are. And Lord Olorun didn't have the time to--"

  Paki put his hand over her mouth to quiet her. "I was joking," he said. "I don't think I'm all that great to tell you the truth. Most of my wins have been from a combination of luck and the weight of my sword."

  Rena sighed as he removed his hand.

  "I'm sorry," she apologized.

  "Don't worry about it," Paki turned his back to the training yard. "We've got a while until Lord Devayne gets here, do you want to go for a walk?"

  "I'd like that," Rena nodded her head after considering the invitation for a moment.

  Telling the Mo'ani at the gates where they were going, Paki and Rena left the hold and began walking toward the lake. It took considerably longer to reach it by foot than by horse, though Paki guessed it still couldn't be much further than a league.