The two men circled each other warily. Borin feigned a lunge to the right and smiled as Hugo instinctively brought his left arm up in defence. He seized Hugo’s arm and twisted it behind his back, turning the younger man around. Now they were both facing the same way and Borin could see his best friend grinning at him from the perimeter.
Borin took two large steps forwards, jostling and controlling the younger man until, finally off balance, he was forced down into the ground. The audience stamped their feet and cheered.
“I didn’t submit!” Hugo shouted, once he was back on his feet. He started to chase after Borin, who was nearing the edge of the ring.
A collective intake of breath made Borin turn around and he was stunned to see Hugo behind him, with his sword drawn.
Before either man could speak, Bardolph was charging in to the action. “Drop your weapon!” he commanded.
Hugo’s eyes flashed dangerously but he did as he was told. An instant later, his uncle was guiding him by the elbow, past the assembled mercenaries and away from the camp.
“I’ve said it before and I will say it again- that man is no mercenary,” Bardolph muttered, shaking his head.
Hugo kept a very low profile the next morning. Felis stayed rooted to his side like a sturdy oak and his expression, seen only from a distance, was grim.
“According to the dwarves, the merchant’s marked his card,” Rolphus told his two friends at breakfast. “One more strike and he’s out.”
“Dromak should have done more than just mark his card- he drew his weapon on you!” Dannymere remarked, his eyes on his friend.
“He may have drawn it but he didn’t use it,” Borin reminded him.
“Well, it looked like he was thinking about it.”
“Nah. His sort is all mouth and no action,” Rolphus said. “Anyway, wrestling’s been banned for the rest of the trip and Hugo is public enemy number one, right now.”
“I wish I knew what his problem is,” Borin said and he told his friends about how Hugo had swapped his stick to make the match.
“You should have called him out on it!” Dannymere was furious. “You should have made him turn his pockets out in front of everyone!”
“Maybe but it’s too late now.”
A sudden thought struck the carpenter. “Hey were you thinking about sticking around for the return journey? Because if Hugo is too-”
Borin groaned. “If he’s going back with Dromak, then I’m certainly not!”
Dannymere grinned. “The world is our oyster, my friend. We can go wherever you like! But first, we have to get to Desea in one piece and that is proving to be more difficult than I ever imagined!”
Chapter 7
The Forest of Lenspar
At the end of the tenth week, the mercenaries arrived at the edge of Lenspar forest. The forest had a reputation bordering on the supernatural which dissuaded common folk from living in or near it and despite his previous bravado, Dannymere was quiet as they approached the line of trees.
Borin noticed and took the opportunity to tease. “You’re looking a little pale there, my friend. Is there anything on your mind?”
The only response he got was a grunt so Rolphus joined in. “With a forest this size, there’s no telling what could be inside,” and he gave Borin a conspiratorial wink.
“I know,” Dannymere said gravely. “There could be anything, anything at all. Some parts of this forest have been untraveled for years so stay very close.” His sombre countenance stopped the other men teasing him anymore and they rode on in silence.
That night the caravan stopped earlier than usual due to the poor light inside the forest. The animals were twitchy and smiles were seldom as the men went about their chores.
Before long, Dromak and Bardolph called a meeting at the centre of the clearing. The mercenaries sat in a circle and wondered why they had been summoned. The merchant had something important to tell them and he expected them to accept it in all seriousness. He then proceeded to talk at length about the unusual nature of the forest- how the normal ecological chain had been disrupted and how some of the rumoured dangers were very real indeed.
“Are you trying to scare us?” Callum asked grumpily.
“No,” said Dromak, stretching and removing his hat. This was the first time the men had seen the hat come off; and this simple movement seemed to lend a certain gravity to the words that followed. “There’s nothing in this forest that will do you any harm; just so long as you show it a bit of respect. It’s the trees, you see. The trees have… evolved.”
“And how’d they do that?” Wenden demanded.
“Nobody knows for sure. But they can sense danger and they have learned to protect themselves in ways that other trees cannot. Tonight, and every other night we’re in this forest, we camp cold. No-one, and I mean no-one, is to gather firewood or strike a match.”
“Magic trees?” Dannymere asked doubtfully. Other men began to mumble and fidget. It was clear that they did not like or believe what they were hearing either.
Dromak tutted and put his hat back on. “Not magic… no… but… conscious. They can think and act.”
Bardolph was nodding at his side. He stretched his arms out wide, gesturing around the clearing. “They have an uncanny ability, that’s for sure. And just think… trees are strong… tall. Your blades are sharp and your courage great. Still, none of you could best a mighty oak in battle. You should believe what Fendril says. He knows more than most people about this place and he speaks the truth.”
There was a long silence as the mercenaries let this strange new information sink in. Some of them started looking up at the branches; perhaps expecting a tree to spring into action and do something unexpected but not a leaf stirred.
“Remember,” the merchant said, pointing a finger to the thick canopy above them, “in this place, trees really do have ears.”
Many of the mercenaries spoke in hushed tones that evening, out of respect for the forest. Some of them were not believers and openly said so but nobody dared to light a fire. Perhaps they believed a little more than they let on.
Albin doled out cold vegetable pies and crusty bread at sundown and it was satisfying enough. The young lad had had a bad feeling about the forest from the moment he entered it and spent as much time as he could inside his wagon.
Minkle, who normally roamed free whenever he was able, chose to curl up in a tight ball, never far from his master, dozing with one eye open and constantly on his guard.
The rubies remained hidden but they were burning a hole in the boy’s conscience. He had been watching the mercenaries and wondering which of them might make a trust-worthy ally who could help him see a way out of this fix. At last, he decided that Felis was probably his best bet and he resolved to speak to him after the meal was finished and his duties done.
Felis was sitting on an old log with his nephew, aside from the rest of the company, when the young boy approached. “Are you sure you should be doing that?” he asked tentatively, pointing at the log.
“What? Oh you mean nature’s seat,” Felis smiled, catching his meaning. “It’s long since fallen of its own accord. I don’t think that the trees will mind.”
“The bowls are gone if that’s why you’re here,” Hugo told him quite rudely.
Albin shook his head. “It’s not. I’d like to speak with Felis… alone if you don’t mind.”
Hugo looked mildly surprised but moved off without complaint. Felis waited until his nephew was out of earshot then gestured for the boy to sit.
Albin eyed the vacant space on the log but he could not bring himself to take it. The merchant’s warnings had affected him deeply. He sank to the ground instead and sat cross-legged, purposely not meeting the other man’s eyes.
“What is troubling you, young Albin?”
The boy looked up, surprised that the older man knew his name. It gave him the courage to speak but he was not sure how to start. “S-s-something happened… near Warnon. It was a
long time ago and I should have said something before. I’ve been waiting for the right time to-” the words dried up and he hung his head in shame.
“Well, whatever happened, it seems that now must be that right time you’re talking about,” Felis encouraged him.
Albin nodded emphatically. “I was scared to tell anyone before in case I got the blame and I didn’t want him to get caught…”
“Him? Are we talking about your furry friend?”
Albin gasped. He thought he had done a better job of concealing his pet. Felis placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and added, “I don’t think anyone else has noticed his comings and goings. Don’t worry. A harmless little stowaway is small fry in the grand scheme of things. He is harmless, isn’t he?”
“Of course- he wouldn’t hurt a fly! His name is Minkle. I brought him from home – he saw me packing and he didn’t want to be left behind. And yes, he is part of the problem,” Albin admitted, before launching into the full story.
Albin was careful to only speak the truth and he barely stopped for breath because the desire to unburden himself was so great. When he finished, and only then, did he dare to look at the old fighter for his reaction.
Felis listened to the boy’s account from start to finish then he eased himself down from the log so that he was level with him on the floor. “This is grave indeed,” he said after what seemed like an age. “If you’ve had the rubies all along, then we’ve been missing two good men whom we thought were thieves. If they didn’t steal the rubies, then where have they gone and why?
Albin bit his bottom lip. He had not considered the wider implications; not given the missing men a thought because he had been too caught up in his own woes. “Maybe Callum was right. He said his friends were honest but when the rubies vanished…”
“We all assumed the two were linked.”
Albin was miserable. “I should have given them back straight away. I wanted to. I knew the merchant would be so happy-”
“- but he would demand to know how you got them and then he’d find out about Minkle,” finished the fighter.
Albin nodded, glad that the other man understood. “He’d be furious! I’m the cook and nobody wants furry creatures sleeping next to the supplies.”
The old fighter laughed softly in spite of himself. “This is a sorry situation,” he confessed, “and perhaps too much of a burden for a lad your age. Why don’t you give the rubies to me and let me worry about the rest? I daresay you’ll be glad to see the back of them. Do you trust me enough to do that?”
Albin nodded and handed them over without any hesitation. He felt lighter straight away and thought that a trouble shared was indeed a trouble halved. There was no doubt in his mind that, at last, he had done the right thing but where they went from here was anyone’s guess.
About an hour later, Felis crossed the clearing and made his way to the merchant’s private wagon; the place where he slept, separate from his men but with the most valuable of his items- a last line of defence should anyone try their hand.
The old fighter had decided that honesty was the best policy and, aside from the involvement of Minkle, the merchant should know what had gone on. Albin’s pet was a minor detail and there would be no benefit to revealing him.
It was pitch black by the time Felis had brought the merchant up to speed and reunited him with his precious rubies. Dromak was keen to visit Albin immediately, to thank him in person and to put his troubled mind at ease.
Felis coughed loudly as they approached so that Albin would know to hide his pet.
Albin’s first reaction to seeing the merchant at the entrance of his wagon was one of horror. Then Felis appeared next to him and said something designed to have a calming effect.
Later, Albin couldn’t remember the exact words, but he did remember slumping onto his bed like a sack of grain and sitting mute while the other men spoke.
“Don’t look so scared, lad. You’re not in any trouble,” Dromak reassured him. “Felis has told me what happened.”
Albin blanched and Felis decided to interject. “We both understand how terrified you must have been when you found the rubies underneath your wagon, Albin.”
Albin relaxed a bit when he realised that Minkle was still a secret but he did not trust his tongue to speak.
The merchant squatted at his side. “Listen, your only mistake was not telling me the very moment you found them. I wish you had- it would have saved me many sleepless nights- but I do understand why you didn’t. You are young and I may have done the same at your age. I want you to know that your job is safe- and so is your reputation. No-one will think you took the rubies and if they do start to gossip or question your good name then they’ll have me to deal with.”
Dromak turned to Felis. “What a blessed relief it is to have these back,” he said, fingering the velvet pouch and hearing the tinkle of the jewels inside. “Now the royal jewellers can complete the crown; the coronation can continue as planned and I won’t have to worry about an army of elves baying for my blood! I’m so grateful to you both.”
Felis nodded to acknowledge the praise and Albin blushed. Dromak shook their hands in turn. He bade them goodnight and left with the pouch of rubies at his belt- a belt which he intended to wear for the rest of the journey, both day and night.
Albin watched the merchant go and then he realised he had been holding his breath. He quickly exhaled and all the stress of the last few weeks seemed to leave with the air. “I’m sorry it took me so long-” he began, but the other man raised a hand to stop him.
“You worked it out in your own time. You barely know me but you made the choice to trust me. That must have been tough to do. And because of your courage, we were able to solve the problem. You did well, Albin.”
“Thank you for not telling Dromak about… you know…”
“I do know,” Felis confirmed with a grin. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a bushy tail poking out of a saucepan and he sighed, “Just give that pan a damned good wash before you make my stew tomorrow!”
Borin was relieved to not be on watch that night. He was bone-tired and grateful for an early night. Dannymere was not so fortunate and it would be another two hours before he would get to stand down. Borin clambered into his bedroll and was surprised to find a small parcel there, secreted under the covers. Cautiously, he brought it out and untied the string.
Inside was a pendant made of silver, and crafted into the shape of a leaf. It was difficult to see clearly because there was little light left so he ran his fingers over the piece, letting them trace the ridges that were the leaf veins and stem.
The chain was made from leather with a silver clasp to secure it. Borin put the pendant down and straightened out the parchment which had been used to conceal it. There was a message inside, written in the same handwriting as before and he had to squint to read it. It said, ‘Please wear this token and trust that it will protect you.’
Borin frowned. He was a cautious man by nature and he liked to think things through but tonight he felt compelled to wear the pendant and he did not hesitate to put it on. The piece felt heavy and unfamiliar around his neck but in some strange way, he felt comforted by its presence.
Nearby, in the shadows, a pair of eyes glowed in silent satisfaction. The pendant had been delivered as promised and everything was going according to plan.
Chapter 8
The Fate of the Missing Men
The next day dawned bright and when the mercenaries looked up, they thought the trees had drawn back their branches on purpose to let the light in.
“Thank you trees,” Dannymere said solemnly and this prompted a laugh from some nearby dwarves. “What?” he asked defensively, “Dromak said we should show some respect so this is me showing some respect!”
Around the camp, the men were in a good mood, made even better when the merchant gathered them together and revealed that the rubies had been found. Nobody was bothered about the details. They were just pleased tha
t the cargo was complete again and they knew a happy boss would make a happier company. “Does this mean proper ale tonight?” asked Vascos with a cheeky grin.
“Aye, I will get the good stuff out,” Dromak replied. “It is definitely a cause for celebration.”
Only Callum was not cheered by the news and he slunk off into the shadows as soon as he was able. Borin saw him go and followed. “You’re worried about your friends,” he said as he approached.
Callum smiled weakly. “If the rubies have returned, then why haven’t they? It’s obvious now that they never took them but no-one seems to care.”
“They haven’t made the connection yet but they will. And then Fulk and Jed will have their good names restored-”
“-If they’re even alive for their good names to matter!” blurted the man. “Sorry,” he mumbled when he realised he had raised his voice. “I just keep thinking about their wives and children. I don’t want to have to be the one to tell them that their husbands and fathers aren’t coming back.”
Borin sighed. “You never know; they could be home already. Perhaps they’re with their families and enjoying a mug of ale themselves.”
“I do hope you’re right, my friend,” said Callum. “I do hope you’re right.”
Just after midday, Borin and Dannymere were riding side-by-side when the half-elf saw the leaf pendant which, until now, had been concealed beneath his Borin’s shirt. “What’s that?” he asked, snapping the other man out of his reverie.
“What’s what?”
“That leaf, around your neck. I haven’t seen it before.”
“It was a gift,” Borin said vaguely, trying to avoid a lie.
“From who?”
Borin shrugged. “A girl. It’s just a token.”
“I bet I know who gave it to you,” Dannymere gloated. “That girl from the Traveller’s Rest. I saw the way she looked at you before we left. Her name’s Lorna, isn’t it?”
The Lost Son Page 5