by John Olsen
Lindy raised an eyebrow and gave her a stern glance. “Now don’t pay any mind to everyone else’s part here. We won’t have anyone go hungry if I have a say, and I’ll use whatever gets offered. Still, it would help if everyone believes we’re serving beef stew.
“Salt everything you didn’t bring here. We’ll need it in about a week if I’m counting right. People will be tired of things we dig up in the wild if we’re not to the capital by then. Everyone does their part, and we’re better off for it. You might even say we’re improving as we go. Oh, and be sure to make a show of tanning the hide, too. The presentation is half the battle for morale.”
Lindy kept speaking to her, but Saleena’s thoughts were still on Willem and she couldn’t remember what Lindy had just said.
Lindy said, “See, there he is.”
She waved a man over and spoke to him. “This is Saleena, the young woman I told you about. She can tell you about our cattle.” Looking back at Saleena she continued, “This is Royn. He’s a local tanner and leatherworker, and he’ll be joining the caravan. He just got back from a trade trip and missed the town’s first evacuation. He has a dozen head of cattle to add to the herd if you can manage the addition.”
He nodded a greeting. “Mistress Lindy has told me about you and your father. I’ll be glad to team up to manage the combined herd. She says you’ve done some interesting things with the cattle using crystals.”
Saleena said, “The baron issued a pardon to anyone who can help with crystal training in any way at all. We’re doing what we can.” She remembered her work to put saddlebags on the cattle, and asked, “How many tanned hides do you have?”
“Quite a few. The sad part is only a few are supple enough for clothing or bags. I gathered supplies on this last trip for an order of armor for the town guard and have a lot of unused heavy boiled hides. They’re not much use except for shoe soles if I’m not making armor.”
Saleena had made things from similar leather before while assisting her father. Her skills had grown as she helped Tover and the local leather workers turn leather into breastplates like the one Gavin wore, as well as vambraces and greaves when steel was too heavy. It had to be split to be thin enough for anything else. “My father is busy with the caravan most of the time, so I’ll make a spot for you in camp. I’ve got an idea on how to use your leather, but it will take a lot of work.”
He waved and headed out as he called back, “I’ll see you there.”
A woman in a dirty apron came in with a large load of cattails, and another with a sack of tubers which had been harvested from along the road. Lindy waved directions to them and called out to some volunteer cooks to dive into the preparations on the new deliveries. The room had several wash basins as well as piles of fruit and vegetables in various states of preparation. Saleena had no idea how Lindy kept track of so much all at once, but it was clear she knew where everything was and what needed to happen next as everyone prepared for the impromptu feast.
Willem entered and dropped off a lidded basket. Saleena tagged along behind him when he left, and grabbed his arm once they were out in the street. He jumped at the unexpected hand, but let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Saleena. “Oh, it’s you. That’s quite the kitchen she’s running there.”
Saleena thought of what Lindy had said to her about each person doing their part, and how it helped the camp to not only survive, but thrive. “Willem, I wanted to say something to you.”
“Say away.” He eyed her suspiciously.
She clasped and released her hands nervously and looked around, not sure how to begin, and then stopped and met his gaze. “I’m sorry I looked down on you when we started working together. I thought less of you, thought bad things before I got to know you. I’ve learned a lot, but sometimes I’m slow at it. I’m glad you’re my friend. You’ve done great things with the cats and in training others. We’re doing things nobody’s ever done, as far as I know. I’ve held back because of the first opinion I had of you. It wasn’t fair of me, and it’s time I let it go.”
He smiled at her. “That’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard. I bet you’ll still skip Lindy’s stew no matter how good it smells.” He grabbed her hand and laughed as he pulled her down the street.
She bared her soul, and he made a joke out of it. Then again, that was his way, to stay positive and light hearted despite problems. How could she complain when his positive attitude was one of the things she liked about him?
Once they reached camp, Saleena adjusted the lines where the extra cattle were to be staked out for grazing while Willem took the cats back to where he rolled out his sleeping pad a short distance from the cattle camp. Most of the Crystal Cabal camped within earshot of each other, which made it easier to gather for training. Royn arrived as she finished adjusting the lines, so she showed him the crystals on both the cattle and on her large necklace.
Royn looked but didn’t touch the stones. “I never used magic before, and I don’t plan to start now. Herding and leatherwork are good enough for me. You get told long enough something is best left alone, and you believe it.”
Saleena pursed her lips together and looked at him.
“Well, I mean for me. Nearly thirty years I’ve been at this. I’m pretty set in my ways.”
She tapped on a barrel strapped into one of the wagons. “We’re tanning the new hide here. We’ll use some of our salt to pack the rest of the animal we butchered. We’ve got everything we need for tanning on the road, as long as you don’t try to get too fancy.”
She spotted her father on the far side of the herd and waved to get his attention. A minute later Tover leaned against the tanning wagon to rest with Runner plopped down at his feet.
“Da, this is Royn. He’s the local tanner.”
Royn offered his hand. “Sir, it’s good to meet you. I’ve heard you’re Travel Master of the whole caravan.”
Tover glanced at Saleena with a smile. “Are you telling stories on me again, girl? There’s no need to give me any ‘sir.’ I’m only doing the job the baron asked of me. Speaking of which, here are the last of the new crystals. The tinker lost the rest to damage and couldn’t recut them.”
Saleena had counted on more stones. “I won’t be able to cover the whole herd with the new animals Royn brought. I can add even less of the new cattle if the cats and the wolf trap any more badgers.”
Royn took a step back. “You’re serious about this crystal work, aren’t you? I thought it was all stories, or using crystals so weak they wouldn’t do much. You’re putting together an army of war animals made up of cattle, cats, and badgers? You’re crazy, the lot of you.”
Tover set a hand on Royn’s shoulder. “Yet here we are. The baron has kept us safe. We’re growing. We’ll be to the capital before long, and with the army there we’ll beat the Graven army with whatever we got, cats and badgers right beside the rest of us.”
Royn said, “You sound like Brother Cleo. He still tells stories of the last war, before he retired from fighting and returned to the Priests of Order. Cautionary tales, he calls them. I think something bad happened to him. You think this ragtag group of yours will make a difference against a trained army?”
Saleena pulled out a sheet of parchment, sat down and spread it on her lap. “Not alone, but we’ll do it. I have an idea for how we can make use of your boiled leather to build armor for the cattle. They’re most vulnerable when they charge, so anything we add up front will help.”
She sketched out the armor pieces she wanted to make, noting how they might help when she controlled the herd. The armor on the front and across the shoulders would help when charging, while the rear half didn’t need as much protection.
Royn looked over the sketch. “Isn’t it a big risk to leave so much uncovered?”
Saleena nodded. “We don’t have the time or the leather to do more than that, and cattle aren’t built for it. Your heavy leather can protect the herd even if it’s not perfect.” If she and the herd did their
best, they might save someone from being killed.
After she shared the details of her plan with Royn, Tover spoke. “Saleena, if this Brother Cleo was in the war, see if he knows what to do with the raven. I reckon there’s a chance he’s been around war animals, even if he’s been away from it for a few years.”
* * *
It was a sheer coincidence Gavin backed into the man whom he had overheard recruiting the Richland residents earlier in the day. The man juggled his plate and barely avoided dumping his meal on the ground, but then he saw it was Baron Stoutheart behind him, and the plate bobbled again despite his best efforts.
“Sir, I’m sorry. Let me make a path for you. You know, I need to thank you for saving my life despite my foolishness. I stayed behind in Greenvale and barely escaped with the men you left behind. Without them, I would have been bear food.”
Gavin held his plate of meat and vegetables one-handed to pat the man on the back. “That’s why some men stayed behind.” Since they had few first-hand accounts of the invasion, Gavin pressed for more information. “How many animals did you see?”
“Well, I saw the whole front line attack. It was a beauty to behold when they tripped into the spikes. There were too many to count, but it was dozens. Up close, I never saw more than a one-eared black bear as we left in the wagon.”
Gavin didn’t notice his plate had hit the ground until those around him scrambled to help clean up the mess. “A one-eared bear?”
“Right. I might not have noticed if your man hadn’t saluted it as we fled. The bear even waved back.”
Adrian would recognize his father’s bear if he’d seen it. Why wouldn’t he report it to Gavin? Was there a chance his father was still alive?
Gavin mumbled, “Thank you for your speech earlier today to rally the locals. It means a lot to me. If you’ll excuse me, I have someone I need to talk to.”
As he left he overheard the whispers behind him. “I never told him I was out to convince people to join up with us. How does he do that?”
Gavin turned to face the man, tension building as he said, “I listen, and I care, just like you. There’s no magic to it. No spy network, at least not to watch you. We’re in this together as we run before the enemy. If you feel the need to tell hero stories, make them about the people around you instead of about me. They’re all heroes in their own right.”
He ran his hands through his hair in an attempt to disburse the raw emotions churning through him. “Jase, I need a private meeting with Draken and Adrian. Now. I’ll meet them at the town hall.”
Jase said, “Sir, if you’re sending me on errands, be sure to take another guard with you. With spies about causing trouble, not everyone here is your friend.”
“Apparently, we can’t guarantee I’m among friends anywhere. I’ll find someone to go with me.” Gavin paced through the crowd, oblivious to the light mood all around him as people waved or gave stiff bows as he passed through the throngs.
Gavin heard rushed steps behind him and glanced back to see Brother Cleo approach. “Well done, sir. I wouldn’t have thought anyone could change the mind of all those who wanted to stay behind, but it looks like we’ll be emptying the town.”
A concerned expression grew on Brother Cleo’s face as he considered Gavin’s demeanor. “What’s wrong? Something has changed, hasn’t it, sir?”
Gavin nodded as Brother Cleo matched pace beside him. Gavin wasn’t in a talkative mood, so he let the silence draw out as they walked together until finally, Gavin said, “Trust. Honesty. What are they worth?”
“You like to ask hard questions, sir.” Brother Cleo clasped his hands behind his back as they continued down the street. “It might depend on whether we’re talking about the cost or the value. The cost of honesty is what you give up to be honest, where the value is what you gain from being honest. I consider it a worthwhile exchange at any cost.”
Gavin nodded. “I believe you. It might even help tonight. I need to find out if I’ve been lied to.”
“So you know, sir, I believe you’ve made a lot of people more honest with your efforts. Your decision to not enforce crystal restrictions has shown people a path from hidden darkness into the honest light of day, and, from what I’ve seen, they thrive at the opportunity to be useful. You are either wise for your years or one of the luckiest men I’ve ever met.”
“You sound like Master Draken and the way he gives out backhanded compliments, like when he told me I wasn’t nearly as lazy as he had supposed I was.”
“That wasn’t my intent, I assure you. I received training to control a war animal years back with several of the Priests of Order. I understand the temptation to keep training when sent back to a normal life, despite the law. You’ve given a lot of people a chance to step up and be useful, including me. Did you know your Crystal Mistress offered me a raven to train and control? It’s rare to strap a crystal to a bird so small. I accepted the bird, and you have my respect, sir. I was right to tag along after we spoke at the chapel. I’ll have dozens of new stories to tell when we’re done.”
Gavin snorted. “So long as you don’t buy into all the wild tales about me.”
Brother Cleo put his hand over his heart. “I promise every tale I tell about you will be true to the best of my knowledge, so help me. At least when I use your name.”
Gavin shook his head in mock dismay as they came to a stop in front of the town hall. “I guess I can’t ask much more than that. This is where we part ways for the moment. I have a meeting I would rather not attend. Thank you. If you could wait here until we’re done?”
Brother Cleo smiled, but his eyes showed concern. “I’ll be here.”
Gavin stepped into the building and lit the wall lamps while he waited, idly peering out one of the small glazed windows. It would have been nice to have more windows like this at home, to be able to see more of the world from within the safety of the walls. The distorted view caused by the uneven glass was better than no view at all. Likewise, he wanted windows into what people thought and did in his name. Even a partial understanding was better than ignorance.
He didn’t have to wait long. He knew by sound alone it was Draken who entered, his boot heels hitting the wooden floor in what sounded like a military precision march until he came to a stop with a scrape in the center of the room.
Gavin waved an arm over to the chairs without bothering to face him. “We’re still waiting on Adrian.”
A shadow came through the door and resolved into the form of Adrian as he came into the light of the lamps. “I’m here.”
It was clear to Gavin from Draken’s formal posture and Adrian’s subdued voice they knew he was upset, so he decided to dive in with no preamble.
“Draken, you saw the army approaching before we left the castle back in Stoutheart Barony. Adrian, you saw my father’s bear in Greenvale. I know both of you may have hidden things from me on purpose. Did you see my father? Is he alive?”
Draken lowered his gaze. “Yes, he is. I thought it best to spare you the burden, sir. I spoke with Adrian when he joined us, and again after his escape from Greenvale to encourage him to withhold the information until you were ready for it.”
Gavin paced back and forth across the hall, fuming. “You thought it was best I not know my father is a traitor to everyone I know, and to the kingdom? How could you think this wasn’t important for me to know? Do you have any idea how bad it would be for morale if the people saw him fight alongside the Graven King’s army after what we’ve been through?”
Adrian deferred to Draken with a slight hand gesture, leaving Draken to answer the charges.
“You were untested and had too much to accomplish in a short time. I didn’t want you to be distracted or do anything foolish like trying to reach out to him.”
Gavin stopped in front of Draken. “I’ve had responsibility thrust upon me ever since Father left to the council with the king. I didn’t want any of this, but I’ve done it because I saw no one else able to do it,
and it was the right thing to do. My only hope for these people is to have enough information to keep them ahead of the army and get them to safety. And you, Adrian, asked me once about whether I wanted to be knowledgeable or honest. I don’t like the idea, but I’ve got to know everything that might be important to save my people. They’re my people, and my responsibility, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work. I’ll figure out how to stay honest afterward.
“I’m disappointed, but not so much by what you kept from me. I’m disappointed in myself for being the man you couldn’t trust. I still feel like a child inside, but I have to be a different person on the outside for everyone else to see. I have to be what the people need, and I need your help to do this. Tell me things, even if it hurts. I know you can both make hard choices. I expect myself to make hard choices as well. How else am I going to learn?”
Draken gave a more formal bow than Gavin remembered ever seeing from him. “I am at your service, sir. It won’t happen again.”
From many other men, Gavin might have taken the gesture as mockery or a weak attempt to placate him, but he had never doubted Draken outside of this one problem. Draken had been right to worry about Gavin’s possible reaction. It was enough.
Draken paused a moment. “You should also know your brother died as a hero, defending our king.”
Despite his distant relationship with Stephan, Gavin’s heart filled with gratitude to know his brother had not been in league with his father and the invaders. He blinked away tears before they betrayed his stiff posture before his advisers.
Adrian leaned with a hand on the back of a chair. “You’re not the baron I expected. I thought I knew things about you, and you’re nothing like your father. I suspect that’s a good thing, and we can work well together. I’ve learned I can trust you, and I hope you can learn to trust me. I’m not sure your father ever did.” He tapped a finger on his collar, which showed a new groove.
Gavin leaned in for a close view of the collar. “Did you find a file? It’s going to take a while, but I suppose it’s better than cold chisels and hammers at your neck.”