The Key To The Grave (#2 The Price Of Freedom)

by Chris Northern

  We had ridden into a shallow bowl and then begun a long ascent up a gentle but constant slope covered in highland fir, a few rocky outcrops sticking out of the slope, and the odd wide bare patch of stony ground that denied purchase to any root. At the top of this the land had levelled out, the fir trees thinned to nothing and the land had become abruptly barren. Still, in the distance, a settlement was clearly visible, nestled up against the foot of a cliff with a wide lake in front of the settlement. The land remained level enough to pass, a wide barren valley between two stocky peaks. We were in the mountains now, in one of the passes that led eventually to Battling Plain and the homeland of the Necromancers. Dusk was not much more than an hour off, I guessed, and we sat our horses at the edge of the woodlands and looked out across the barren stretch between us and the lake and the settlement where Ishal would be sleeping tonight, once more safely beyond our reach. I could see them, rounding the lake, riders coming out to meet them. I watched them, and swore.

  “Give it up,” Sapphire said quietly. “We are not getting her out of there tonight.”

  He was right. I already knew it. That's why I was swearing.

  The settlement was walled; nothing elaborate, just a low stone wall, not much higher than the average house that was protected by it. I guessed only fifteen feet or so, maybe less. And there would be guards on the wall, dogs inside; hell, I could hear them from here, yapping away, disturbed by the riders going out to meet Ishal and his party.

  I had no intention of repeating my earlier madness of going in to look around. It was a small community, less than a thousand people. We would stand no chance of blending in. I'd wrapped a bandage around my head, covering the stone set in my forehead; I figured the healing burns on my face gave credence to the bandage. But the tell-tale stone in my forehead wasn't the problem; in a small community we would just attract too much attention. Ishal would know we were there in minutes. And, of course, I had no idea what attitude the local chieftain had to him. The same as Ernath? Not likely. We were unlikely to be so lucky again.

  “So we camp,” I said. “Back in the trees; now. If we can see them, they can see us if they care to look.”

  Without further discussion we retreated a ways back into the cover of the trees, then moved off the trail a few dozen yards.

  Sapphire dropped from his horse and began stripping it of gear. I looked around. The trees were dense enough to cut visibility to fifty feet or so. It would do. No tent, I reminded myself. And too close to the settlement to set a fire. Perfect. It had become noticeably colder over the day's climb into higher country. It was going to be an uncomfortable night.

  I climbed down and walked the horse for a while, also getting the stiffness out of my legs. The damaged skin hurt like hell, but I was putting off checking it. I didn't want to know what it looked like, but knew I would have to. I still had some ointment, and I would soon enough go through the indignity of dropping my trousers and slathering the stuff on. It helped. Mostly the burns seemed to be healing well, drying and scabbing and generally well into the process of becoming healthy flesh. But where my thighs and butt were constantly in contact with the saddle... well, that was a slightly different story.

  After a while, I stripped the horse. Dubaku had taken care of his own animal and was busy with the supplies, making something cold to eat. I hobbled my horse so she couldn't stray far, gave her some oats and water, then tended to my own tender flesh. It looked raw and unpleasant but felt better after I was done. I was just hitching up my trousers when I became aware of the sound of horse's hooves not so far away.

  “Dannat?” I said, not raising my voice.

  “Get your armor on,” Sapphire said.

  I was already aware that I had been wrong in my assumption. More than one horse. Whoever had been following us was alone. This was a group. I moved without thinking further; chain is fairly quick to put on and I was soon enough done. With sure, calm hands I slipped the armor-enhancing sword belt about my waist and tightened it. I'd had once had a helm and shield but had not found those, nor replaced them. I worried about the lack of a helm, a single blow on the head would drop me and I would have to be keenly aware of the risk in any fight. The horses had been closing on us and now they were near, not yet visible but soon, very soon. There was no point trying to avoid them; if we mounted and moved they would hear us anyway and there would be a chase. Guilty by virtue of fleeing, there would be little or no opportunity to talk. I was sure that whoever was coming was from the settlement, come to see why we had stopped short, why we had avoided them. It wasn't the kind of thing an innocent group of travellers would do.

  Sapphire had taken care of the horses, re-saddling two while I got my armor together. He was mounted and holding the reins of the other; waiting for me. I joined him, mounted without groaning as my sore flesh once more made contact with the saddle. Dubaku simply waited. There was no proper saddle for the last horse and he clearly preferred to meet the potential threat on foot.

  I saw Dannat first. A flicker of movement to my left drew my gaze. He was moving toward the oncoming horsemen, toward us, glancing over at them and only seeing me as he turned back to pick his path. I waved, casually, grinned. He returned the grin wolfishly, also seeing the grim humor in it. At that moment further movement got my attention as several horsemen moved into view in quick succession, following our trail and coming more or less straight for us. In a second or two they would see us.

  “We are not going into the settlement,” Sapphire said softly, just loud enough for me to hear, “so we have no choice but to kill them.”

  My stomach lurched. I knew he was right. If we talked, even if they believed whatever story we might fabricate, they would still expect us to go back with them. That wasn't an option, and they had to die for it. It was ridiculously unfair that these men, who were just doing their chieftain's bidding, satisfying his curiosity and ensuring that his people were safe, had to die just because we did not want to encounter Ishal at this time. I was counting them, even as I thought this, and before I had done with that the first of the seven men saw us waiting for them and hesitated. They were fifty feet away, spread in no particular formation, trailing back through the trees, casual, relaxed, not really expecting a fight.

  There was always the chance, of course, that I would die here. The thought made me shiver.

  “Now,” Sapphire said, drawing his sword and kicking his mount into an almost instant gallop even as he did so. I followed his lead as best I could. I have always been a good horseman and I wasn't more than a second or two behind him. Not all of them were aware of us, only the first rider had time to react before Sapphire was on him, his blade taking half the man's face off. I marked a man and steered toward him, striking as he drew his sword and making a mess of his arm, steering to intercept another who was turning and trying to free his sword at the same time. My slashing blade loped off an ear and hammered into his shoulder. Then I was past them, hauling back on the reins and turning as fast as I could. It didn't get any better for them. Sapphire had already turned, was already in the process of meeting a rider who had at last freed his weapon. I chose my man and kicked my horse forward, feeling the powerful movement of the animal under me and matching myself to its motion, aware of Dannat riding in hard and fast from my right side. I swerved left of the warrior and slashed hard. Our swords met, ringing out, but the city steel snapped his blade and my blow, though lessened in power, continued its arc into his thigh near the hip. I deliberately steered into another rider, the impact knocking his horse from its feet and making my own mount stumble and trip. It half jumped and half bucked, then caught its footing and responded as I pulled back on the reins, turned and slashed down at the unhorsed rider who was doing well to get to his feet. His helm crumpled under my blow and he fell. I looked around and it was all over. Dannat had taken down the man I'd wounded in the thigh. He was an ally then, I thought, not an enemy. And it was over now.

  No, I thought, gritting my teeth. Not quite over.
The wounded still had to be killed.

  I swallowed hard and set about it.

  #

  “We had better move,” Sapphire said. “They will have heard the screams.”

  The screams. Yes. The wounded. Now the dead. I closed my mind to that ugly work and tried to think. Succeeded. “Loot them, it will make us look like bandits... Yes?” I looked hard at Dannat. “You looked as though you were about to say something?”

  He shook his head. “Not a thing.”

  “Quickly, then.” Sapphire agreed. “Armor, weapons, coin, anything of value. Dubaku! Get a horse.” He walked his horse back to where we had started to make camp and dropped from the saddle. With quick, economical movements, he began assembling our gear and getting it back on the pack animal.

  Four horses the richer - seven suits of chain mail, four swords, three axes, seven bags of coin, several bracelets and rings the richer - we moved out. Staying in the trees and heading east. Seven dead men behind us had lost their lives just because we didn't want to confront Ishal at that time. I can't say I felt good about it.

  “We are leaving a hell of a trail,” I commented.

  “It'll be dusk soon. Then we head out, circle north into the pass. It's broad enough that we can be past the settlement without them being aware of it. The terrain looks barren enough that we can pick a path over rock that won't leave much in the way of tracks to follow.” Sapphire sounded calm, almost indifferent.

  I thought about it. Even shaky as I was, I was still thinking. We had, in fact, just taken down a good portion of that settlement's fighting men. There would only be a twenty or so warriors in a community of a thousand. They had armor and swords; spears would be the weapon of choice for the militia, the men who worked for a living yet manned the walls to repel an attack. Spears are cheaper and easier to produce and have other uses. Maybe that was why Sapphire was unconcerned. The bulk of any serious opposition was behind us, already taken care of. I had a brief fantasy that we could take the settlement, just the four of us. Then I snorted in self-derision. There would be - what? - two hundred men of fighting age, and those still led by thirteen or more warriors. One battle mage and twenty men and I would do it, but just the four of us – assuming Dannat would be willing – was not a realistic option. We would be swamped.

  “Do you think Ishal will guess he is followed?” My mind changed tracks and I asked the question before thinking.

  Sapphire shrugged. “It's bound to make him more wary.”

  There goes the element of surprise.

  “He knows,” Dannat said.

  I turned in the saddle and fixed him with a glare. “How does he know?”

  “The patron Tahal; he heard there were strangers who arrived just after them. He got your description,” he indicated me, “and clearly recognized it. Ishal was in a fury but accepted my father's plea of ignorance. It is why I took so long to come. My father did not dare commit to paper the information you wanted while they were still in Twobridges. I have it with me now though.”

  “If he knew, why did he not send more men?” I asked, using my thumb to point behind us.

  “Those seven were free,” Sapphire said.

  True. From his point of view, they cost Ishal nothing. If they took us, all well and good, if we killed them and they killed only one of us, all well and good. For him, no risk and a possible win. It was a cynical attitude, but I had every reason to accept that the Necromancers were that callous. I winced as it came to me that I had been assuming the moral high ground, and just how unjustified that position was right now.

  “He will be expecting us,” I said.

  “He will,” Sapphire said.

  I worried at it like a dog with a bone. If I were Ishal, what would I do? If I knew I was being followed I'd set a trap. I voiced the idea and turned to our newest companion. “Dannat, do you know the pass? Is there a place where they could attack us with little risk to themselves?”

  Dannat nodded. “Yes. The pass is broad for the most part, but there is a place where a river comes in from the east and cuts a deep gorge, heading north. There, the path holds to the west and hugs the mountain for a mile with the river below. The trail is only wide enough for one man and horse, and even then you have to lead the horse in places. The slope isn't sheer, but it's steep and would be a dangerous climb, especially if you were in a hurry.”

  That sounded promising. I pictured it in my mind; the four of us passing along a trail in single file, the enemy on the slope, high up. They could throw enough rocks down to take some or all of us over the edge even if they had no missile weapons. I briefly imagined the same scenario reversed, until I imagined a rock knocking Jocasta from the saddle; the image made me wince and I abandoned the idea.

  “I think we should assume that's what they will do. Best way to counter it is to go ahead of them and get through the pass first. Dannat, best you come with us, at least that far.”

  He smiled a thin smile at me. “I'd planned to. My father ordered me to accompany you and assist you if you would allow it.”

  “Why?”

  His face darkened. “My sisters. If I can find out where they are, there is at least a hope of getting them free.”

  I'd forgotten. “I don't want him getting through the pass, at least not with Jocasta...” I trailed off; I was going to say that he would have allies there, and getting her free would then be that much the harder. Well, getting Dannat's sisters free was already going to be that hard; harder, in fact, as he didn't even know where they were. “When that's done, we will help you find your sisters.” I made the offer spontaneously, and regretted it just as fast.

  Sapphire turned in the saddle and looked back at me, his expression unreadable.

  I almost opened my mouth to justify myself, but there was no justification. I was, I decided, an idiot. It was just something I would have to learn to live with. One more obligation I could live without. And why had I undertaken it? What did I owe Dannat, his father or his sisters? I didn't say anything for a while. I didn't know what damn fool thing I might commit myself to next.

  I'd put off having a drink as long as I could stand. Fiery whiskey warmed my belly as we rode on into the dusk and I contemplated the tasks ahead of me. It seemed that they just kept mounting up as fast as I could open my mouth. One thing at a time, I kept reminding myself. One thing at a time. Jocasta first, the stone and Ishal and Tahal second, then help set up and safeguard a trading post, then the Necromancers and Dannat's sisters, spy in the north and find and free Dubaku's people. I wondered if the list would get any longer before I was done with those tasks. There was a lot to achieve. It was daunting. I sipped more whiskey and reminded myself to take one item at a time. Free Jocasta. It's the only task of all of them that I actually wanted to achieve.

  As dusk deepened, our rate of movement became increasingly slow. The terrain between us and the town was clear of cover, barren and flat, the lake a flat mirror before its walls. In the diminishing light of dusk, two dozen men rode out with burning brands, heading south, doubtless in search of their fellows who had not returned. They would no doubt find their bodies, but even if they tried to track us in the night we would see them and have plenty of warning.

  We pushed on slowly, leading the horses until full night forced us to stop. The settlement was to the west, clearly visible, the light from torches on the low wall reflected in the lake below them. I sat in the night and watched the walls, brooding. At regular intervals a light on the wall would fade for a moment as a guard passed in front of it.

  “Darklake,” Dannat said softly as he came to squat by my side.

  “Hmmm?” I'd been scratching a number on a rock, idly, leaving a marker for my scout.

  “The name of the town.”

  “Oh.” I recognised the name Meran had mentioned. A light on the wall faded briefly, its dimming mirrored in the dark waters, then brightened as the guard moved away. I wondered what they were thinking, those distant men on the walls. Seven of their number had
left on what would have been thought a simple, almost routine task and not yet returned. Another two dozen had followed, seeking them, and were out in the night. I tried not to think of wives and children, tried not to feel guilty. I looked to my left, searching for the tell-tale glimmer of torches and found them intermittently winking back at me from the woodland rising to the south. I wondered how persistent they would be, how determinedly they would come after us. I doubted they could track us over the rocky terrain that surrounded us, but by the same token we would be exposed to their sight just after dawn on this barren landscape. So we would have to move before then, move out as soon as there was light enough to see the barren ground under our feet.

  “Lenya and Celi,” Dannat said.

  I thought about it. “Your sisters.”

  “Yes. They are thirteen and fifteen. Did you mean it, going after them?”

  I had. I guess I did. “Do you have any idea where they are?”

  He hesitated. “Just a name. 'Duprane is taking care of them.' But who is Duprane, and where? I don't know.”

  One of the horses started suddenly and was still. I didn't say a word. I recognized the name, of course. The wonder was that Dannat said he did not. One more thing to worry about. I resolved to discuss the matter with Meran as soon as I could. It might be a while.

  “We'll find them,” I said. “As soon as we are able.” Darklake and Duprane in the north, Meran had said, and him an Alendi who had not before travelled as far as Twobridges; yet he had heard stories. Dannat was lying, I decided. He knew at least those same stories of Duprane. He must.

  He was silent and I let the silence last and wondered why he pretended ignorance of Duprane. And I wondered what the stories were. A shamanka, a female shaman, and monsters. That's all I remembered of what Meran had said.

  The silence dragged on. I asked him about the pass and what lay beyond,. I took note of what he told me and worried about what he was not telling me.