by D. L. Kramer
"Maybe," Paki shrugged. "Whether or not they can catch enough is a different matter."
"Are ye sure ye're all right here?" Kile asked after a moment.
"Yes," Paki glanced around them. "Just as long as you don't tell me we're camping where you got rid of his body."
"We're not," Kile assured him. He reached over and put a strong hand on Paki's shoulder. "And it's all right to fear ye're past," he said quietly. "A little fear makes the strongest men." He squeezed Paki's shoulder then stepped past him and went to check the other horses.
Paki stood for a second, still feeling Kile's hand on his shoulder. "I wonder how strong hatred makes you," he muttered, turning towards the fire Rena was starting. He might as well get this over with, too. Sitting beside her, he handed her a few twigs from the pile.
"I'm sorry," Rena said quietly. "You don't have to say anything to me. I...didn't mean to feel anything from you. It just sort of hit me, and I saw all these things in my head."
"What did you see?" Paki asked, his voice even. He wasn't angry with her, but his past was something he had tried hard to forget.
"A man," Rena answered quietly. "With a dark beard, and angry eyes."
"That was my master," Paki stated. "He was angry all the time."
Rena looked up at him. "Yes," she agreed. "He hated you because you wouldn't hate him, no matter what he did to you."
Paki considered this. He thought he feared his master because of the beatings, but even while quite young, he had realized his master's angry outbursts were from his drinking. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he hadn't so much feared his master as pitied him.
"There was no reason to hate him," he said after a moment. "He was a man who liked to drink and liked his strap." Paki paused to pull one sleeve off his shoulder and turn his back toward Rena. Faint white lines ran toward the center of his back and disappeared under the woven cloth, their ragged edges and raised centers the remnants of long-healed cuts. Rena touched one softly, her eyes pained as Paki looked back at her. "I didn't get the three foxes he'd caught skinned before he finished his dinner," he told her the reason behind the one she'd touched.
Rena nodded her head silently as Paki pulled his sleeve back up.
"I don't know what all you feel here," Paki continued, meeting her eyes. He didn't even notice their color. "But about a league further up the road is where I met Kile, and where my stallion killed my master. You might feel that there, but just so you know, I don't want to talk about it. It's part of my past, and it can stay there."
Rena nodded her head again.
Paki's attention was distracted when Bear and Adie returned, each of them carrying a bulging sack. He looked back at Rena. "Maybe one day, I'll want to talk about it, but not yet." He sighed as Bear took Adie's sack from her and began walking towards them. "Something tells me I'm going to get enough reminders in a few seconds anyway."
"I understand," Rena said quietly as Bear neared them. "You could tell him you forgot how."
"He knows better," Paki looked up when Bear stopped. "I don't suppose you two decided against rabbit, found a stream and caught fish instead?" he asked hopefully.
"You wish," Bear said, dropping one of the sacks beside Paki's feet and tossing the other a few feet away.
Paki gave Rena a meaningful look as she went back to building up the fire. He reached over to open the bag. Inside, four medium-sized rabbits were jumbled together, each of them with bloodstained fur. Paki took them from the bag one at a time and set them to one side. Pulling the skinning knife from its sheath inside his boot, he started to work.
His hands still moved deftly, quickly skinning and cleaning the rabbits. He had all four done before Bear was half way through his second one. Wiping his knife on the sack, he deliberately put it back into the sheath.
They roasted the rabbits over the fire then opened their bedrolls for the night. Paki was glad it was Bear's and Kile's turns to stand watch, and quickly dropped into a dreamless sleep.
The next day, they passed the small town where they had met Adie and the stallion had been shot after attacking the church guards. There was no sign of the farmer who had helped them, but Paki didn't expect to see him. They passed through the town, stopping only to water their horses, then were quickly back on the road again. This time, they would have to take the road the whole way instead of Kile's path straight to the mountains. Paki found a certain comfort in knowing they would be back at the Stronghold by the start of the following week.
Two days from the turnoff to the mountains, Adie started riding ahead, scouting for any signs of church guards in the area. They were able to avoid what few patrols she found, and made the turnoff without incident. Late the next day, they reached the narrow, winding road leading to the Stronghold. As they rounded the last curve, Gharald and Mo'ani sat on their horses, waiting for them. Kile pulled Nicho in several feet from Mo'ani and everyone else stopped behind him.
"Well met," Mo'ani greeted.
"Well met," Kile returned.
"I'm glad to see you've come back safely," Mo'ani said, smiling. "We received your message about Valin. You can fill in the details back inside." He turned his horse around and led them all back to the Stronghold.
Paki could hardly wait to get to the stable as they passed through the gates. He left Ayita tied to the corral fence as he slipped into the stable while Bear, Kile, Adie and Rena waited for stable hands. The stallion greeted him instantly with his familiar mental nudge and a soft nicker. No longer needing to stand on the stall door to reach the stallion's head, Paki scratched his nose and stroked his neck. He hadn't realized how old the stallion looked and the white hairs on his nose stood out against his dark coat. He was well taken care of, though, and his coat gleamed in the faint light.
After a moment, Paki opened the stall door and stepped inside. One of the stallion's legs was heavily bandaged and he held it up. Paki immediately went to it, checking it with his fingers for what could be wrong. He felt the stallion nudging his mind, and felt for what the huge horse wanted, but all he got was a sharing of the burning in his leg.
"I'll be right back," Paki told him, patting him one last time. Pausing to listen for the telltale sounds of Tavish's whistling, Paki turned towards the far end of the stable and began walking. He saw the tousled mop of sooty hair as soon as he rounded the corner. Tavish was in the brood mare's stall, checking the food and water of an obviously pregnant mare.
"What happened to the stallion's leg?" Paki asked, stopping outside the oversized stall.
Tavish looked up from the water he was pouring into the small trough. The mare flipped her tail anxiously, a sign Paki recognized immediately.
"He got a nail by the corral's west side," Tavish said, as honest as he had always been. "The boy who found the cut didn't clean it right, so it went bad. He'll be all right now, I'm pretty sure we caught it in time."
"I was just wondering," Paki said. "It looked like it was pretty bad."
"It was," Tavish nodded. "Give him another week, and he'll be able to get you to Bavol Hold in record time."
"I'm not planning on pushing him like that again," Paki said. Although Paki didn't know exactly how old the stallion was, he knew he had to be almost twenty years old, and hadn't lived a very easy life. As much as he loved the stallion, he was too old for any of the long traveling anymore. Paki knew the stallion realized it too, and had felt it from his mind. "He's probably getting old enough maybe I should just see if one of the farmers down in the village would like him for light farmwork."
Tavish paused to look up at him. "He's happy here," he said. "And now that you're back, he'll be fine."
"Or he'll be so upset with me for leaving that he'll bite me," Paki muttered. He nodded his thanks to Tavish for taking care of the stallion's leg, then walked back up to the stall. "I'd like to stay," he told the big horse. "But I really need to clean up and rest. I'll be back in a little bit."
As if he understood, the stallion nuzzled him a
gain, lipping Paki's fingers just like the mare had so long ago.
Paki was on his way out of the stable just as one of the young boys was leading Ayita in. Paki realized his sword and other things were gone from the saddle, but caught a glimpse of Bear carrying them into the keep before he could ask where they were. Setting off after Bear, he caught up with him just inside the doors.
"Shouldn't you take those to the barracks?" he asked, falling in step beside him.
"If you have any idea which rooms would be ours now, sure," Bear shrugged. "They've reassigned everything. Besides, now that we're apprentices, we wouldn't be in there anyway."
"Oh yeah," Paki said, suddenly remembering. Apprentices bunked in the smaller buildings, giving them a chance to develop the camaraderie necessary to strengthen an army.
"But you can carry your things now," Bear said, handing Paki his sheathed sword and the pack containing his chain. Paki swung the sword across his back, then lifted the pack onto his shoulder.
They carried their things up the main staircase and to the hall where Mo'ani's office was. Dropping the packs and setting down their weapons, they sat down beside them. Kile, Gharald and Adie would all be in with Mo'ani, and either Kile or Gharald would have to assign them new rooms.
"Where'd Rena go?" Paki asked after a moment.
"She was with the captain last time I saw her," Bear shrugged. "Maybe she's in with them."
"Probably," Paki nodded, trying to figure out why it was so hard to think. He didn't feel that tired, but the longer he sat, the more he started to doubt he could get up.
Almost an hour passed before the door to Mo'ani's office opened. Paki forced himself to his feet and kicked Bear as Kile and Gharald came into the hall. Bear picked up his head then stood up.
"Ah, ye didn't go find someplace to sleep yet," Kile observed. "I'd 'ave thought ye'd be in the stable buried under the straw."
"Not yet," Paki said. "But it's sounding good."
"Now, why didn't I think of that?" Bear wondered aloud. He considered Kile for a moment. "Why didn't I think of that when you had work for me?" he elaborated.
"Because I'd 'ave found ye with a pitchfork," Kile explained. "Ye can take ye're things to the third bunk, but Mo'ani'd like to speak with ye first."
"Of course he would," Bear nodded.
Paki couldn't help but smile at his friend's statement. Picking up his things, he led the way into Mo'ani's office, Bear right behind him.
Mo'ani sat at his desk, studying two sets of spurs in front of him. Neither Adie nor Rena were there, and Paki wondered where they might be. He set his things down and waited for Mo'ani to say something. Bear set his pack and crossbow beside Paki's and leaned against the wall. Paki looked at the spurs and recognized the bright blue stone set in their sides immediately. The pouch from Brijade sat beside them.
"I trust you're both aware of the responsibility Kile's put on your shoulders?" Mo'ani asked, looking up at them.
"Yes, sir," Paki said, nodding his head.
"Yes, M'lord," Bear also nodded.
Mo'ani looked at them both for several more seconds. "Go see to your things, Sewati," he excused Bear. "The archers leave to practice one hour before dawn."
Bear nodded, obviously deciding not to say anything else. With a nod to Paki, he picked up his things and left the room. When the door was closed tight again, Mo'ani turned to Paki.
"Kile tells me you show a lot of promise," he said evenly.
"If that's what he calls it," Paki shrugged. "Most of my wins have been luck." Each time, his opponent had made a mistake, or been distracted by an outside influence. Paki had simply seized each opportunity as it presented itself. His movements and attention in a fight seemed to be directed naturally, with little thought to how he was actually going to move from one swing to the next.
Mo'ani stood and walked to stand in front of his achievement of arms. He was quiet for a moment, then turned to look at Paki again. "Kile's never been beaten since he became an apprentice," Mo'ani said evenly.
"I know," Paki said. "Adie told me."
Mo'ani walked to stand in front of Paki, his clear eyes pinned on Paki's. "Kile's the only one who's beaten you," Mo'ani pointed out.
"He didn't put me up against anyone else but the apprentices at Takis Hold," Paki said, trying to see the significance in what Mo'ani was telling him. "Bear and I were the only ones he had to work with at Valin, so he taught us more than he probably should have."
"Definitely more than he should have," Mo'ani agreed. "You'll come to the keep every morning two hours before breakfast," he told Paki. "I told you I would oversee your training, and I will. During the afternoons, you'll still train with the other apprentices, but in the mornings, you'll learn things I haven't taught to anyone since Kile was your age." He reached out and put one hand on each of Paki's shoulders. "But you are not to tell anyone--even Sewati--that I am teaching you. Is that understood?"
Paki nodded his head silently, wondering why Mo'ani didn't want anyone to know. Maybe he was afraid the other apprentices would accuse him of playing favorites and he would lose some of their loyalty.
"All right," he agreed.
"Now go get some rest," Mo'ani told him, walking to sit behind his desk again.
Paki picked up his sword and pack, swinging them both onto his back, then left Mo'ani's office. He quickly found the room he and Bear would share with two other apprentices. Leaving his things in a pile by the foot of the unclaimed bed, he washed his face, neck and hair, then changed clothes before laying on the bunk and drifting into a light sleep.
His mind drifted from one thing to another. The way the stallion had aged in the last two years, where Rena had disappeared to, and finally, what Mo'ani would teach him.
Seven - "It's time for the strength of the army"
"Watch your balance," Mo'ani warned.
Paki caught himself just in time to keep Mo'ani's staff from hitting his arm. His hands were sweating, making it hard for him to keep his grip on his sword, but Mo'ani had told him to leave his gauntlets and chain in his bunk.
Mo'ani made a feint for Paki's shoulder, then swung the staff around to connect with his stomach. Paki caught Mo'ani's shift in balance just in time to fend off the attack. Twisting to one side, he avoided the staff and immediately retaliated with a swing of his own, the flat of his sword catching Mo'ani on the back of his arm.
"Very good," Mo'ani complimented, not reacting, though Paki knew he had hit hard enough to hurt. Mo'ani immediately swung his staff for Paki's legs, then brought it up intending to smash it down on Paki's shoulder. Paki easily jumped over the staff and ducked to one side, avoiding the crippling hit.
While Kile had stressed strength of movement, Mo'ani's tactics also depended on speed. Paki found his every sense was necessary to predict Mo'ani's moves, and each subtle change only had a fraction of a second to register before Mo'ani had changed direction yet again. They had been practicing for some time when Mo'ani signaled for Paki to stop. Paki hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he lowered his sword and his arm and back muscles screamed at him with sharp spasms of pain.
The hits Mo'ani had scored ached even more, and Paki knew several of them would leave bruises. It would be some time before he was able to keep Mo'ani from hitting him; if ever. Still, he had managed to score a couple of his own hits.
Paki sat on one of the upended crates in the almost empty storeroom, laying his sword across his knees. Mo'ani leaned his staff against the wall and sat beside him.
"Kile stressed your stamina with your sword arm," Mo'ani said after a moment. "But he couldn't stress stamina with your mind."
"Because Bear was there?" Paki asked. He remembered Kile mentioning once or twice that they had to think fast, but he hadn't gone beyond the comment to teach them anything in relation to it.
"Yes," Mo'ani answered. "Bear has always been exceptionally quick. And he will be an exceptional warrior, but he lacks the self-discipline to utilize every tactic. Notaku's death
more or less ruined any chance he'll ever have of always controlling his reactions."
"His mother?" Paki remembered Bear telling him her name once, and Notaku sounded familiar.
Mo'ani nodded. "She was a very skilled woman," he said after a moment. "Notaku could do more damage with her dagger than you'll ever be able to do with that sword."
"I know Bear's come up with several ideas she may not have had," Paki commented.
Mo'ani sighed and shook his head slowly. "All driven by revenge, no doubt."
"Most of them, yes," Paki agreed. "I guess he and Lady Takis hit it off quite well once they exchanged notes."
"Brijade," Mo'ani said the name almost sadly. "So young to be burdened with this." He paused. "And now Rial is too."
"No insult intended to Lord Valin," Paki said slowly. "But he's got to be one of the coldest people I've ever known."
Mo'ani nodded absently. "I'm afraid he'll only get colder before this is over."
"Maybe he'll be gone before Nahtan comes," Paki suggested.
Mo'ani looked at him, his eyes unreadable. "No," he said after a moment. "Nahtan will be coming soon, definitely in this generation." Mo'ani picked up Paki's sheath and handed it to him.
"How can you be so sure?" Paki accepted the sheath and slid his sword into it slowly.
"I've been alive for over two hundred years, Paki," Mo'ani said. "It's different now. There used to be only two or three exceptional students in a generation, but there are more this time." He met Paki's eyes. "It's time for the strength of the army to be trained." Standing up, he offered Paki his hand and pulled him to his feet. "I'll expect you here at the same time tomorrow, and bring your chain this time."
Paki made a point of wiping his hands on his breeches. "You mean I get to wear gauntlets?" he asked, exaggerating his tone.
"Maybe," Mo'ani said. "We'll see what kind of mood I'm in when you get here."
Paki smiled faintly and left the storeroom. He still had time before breakfast, and decided to spend it in the library. Leaving his sword in his bunk, he jogged back to the keep and climbed the stairs leading to the huge double doors of the library.