With a pouch of Amendyri coins and paper Serian notes stuffed in the right pocket of my traveling dress and a heavy pack over one shoulder, I stood before the carriage. Soon, we would be on our way to the border. Matthew sat on the driver’s box. His faithful horse, Sir Thom, was hitched at the front. Ellie had offered to let me use the matching pair of grand carriage horses, but I refused.
My friends stood side by side in a solemn line, not sure whether they were happy for me or worried about me. Secretly, I was worried, too, but I would never tell. They would try and convince me to stay.
Ellie was the first to say goodbye. “Oh, Cate, I’m going to miss you!” she whispered fiercely, flinging her arms around me and squeezing tight. I endured the hug, but gasped for breath beside her head. “Write to me as soon as you stop for the night. Do you promise?”
I gave my friend a confused frown, although she could not see it. My head was still tucked over her shoulder. “How could we send letters? I would be gone days before yours got to wherever I was staying.”
Ellie pulled away and gave me a secret smile, the kind she reserved for very clever thoughts. “Oh no, we aren’t going to send each other letters. You and I are going to keep a journal.” Belladonna, standing silently beside her blonde haired lover, placed a small, leather-bound book in her outstretched hand. It was small enough to fit in a pocket or bag. Easy to carry from place to place.
“This was a gift from Cieran,” Ellie explained. “It is a two-way journal. I have an identical one in our room and everything you write in your journal will appear in mine. Instant letter delivery.” The words ‘our room’ made me blush.
“Thank you!” I said, eager to end my train of thought.
Ellie passed the journal from her hands to mine and then leaned against Belladonna’s side. “Do you have your citizenship papers, Cate?” she asked.
I rolled my eyes. “You gave them to me last night. I haven’t lost them since then.”
Ellie rolled her eyes back and opened her mouth to scold me, but Belladonna smiled and dropped a kiss on the crown of Ellie’s golden hair. “Stop fussing, Mine.” I could actually see Ellie’s muscles shiver and I was a little embarrassed. I was still glancing shyly at the pair when Sarah swooped in from one side and gripped my hand tight. Her other was held behind her back. “I have a present for you, too!”
“You do?”
“Well, Loren helped me with it.” The old washerwoman and seamstress had lived at Baxstresse since Lady Kingsclere was a small girl. She was a permanent fixture of the manor. From behind her back, Sarah produced a blood red cape. “To keep you warm,” she explained, almost bashfully. “Ellie said it will be colder in Amendyr.”
The cape was beautiful. I hurried to put it on, still trying to hold the journal in my right hand. As I reached behind to un-tuck my hair from the neck of the cape, I discovered a hood. “Oh, this is beautiful!” I said, doing a quick twirl to show off my new present. Ellie and Belladonna smiled. Mam clicked her tongue in a motherly way.
“So beautiful you’re looking, Cate,” she said, resting a large hand on my shoulder. Mam was Amendyri, like me, and her old face looked concerned. When my parents died, she had taken charge of me. She knew that Amendyr was a wild, dangerous place, especially lately. It was not a magical storybook kingdom. Ellie and Belladonna were too well read to be deceived, but some things needed to be experienced before they could be understood.
As I leaned in to hug Mam, I realized that she was carrying a basket. I lowered my chin to study it. “I’ve got some sweetcakes and bread here for you. Good for traveling, they are. You never know what they’ll be serving at them inns along the road, ‘specially across the border!”
“Oh, thank you, Mam!” I said, my eyesight blurring. The generosity of all my friends was touching. Warm tears rolled down my cheeks. “Thank you all…”
The rest of the goodbyes were a blur as Belladonna, chivalrous as ever, helped me into the carriage. “Best of luck,” she said, and closed the door behind me.
“Ready?” Matthew called over his shoulder, looking back at the carriage even though he could not see inside.
He could hear, though, as I said, “yes.” Sir Thom began plodding down the road. Staring out of the back window, I could see the four smiling faces of my friends as we pulled out of the gravel drive and began the journey.
…
The five days I spent traveling west to the Amendyri border were uneventful. By the time we reached an inn (or, on one night, simply a farmhouse) I was too tired to do anything but sleep. We passed Southwood and Felbrook, and finally reached the long stretch of trees that marked the border between Seria and Amendyr.
We met our first patrol of Rangers an hour after we started on the sixth day. They were dressed in Serian uniforms. I could just make out the sword and plumes coat-of-arms on their shields through the frosted glass of the carriage window. Their armor was lightweight, mostly leather, easy for maneuvering in the forest. One of the three men, the tallest, stepped from the side of the road and blocked the path.
The cry of “Halt!” was a little too forceful. I flinched at the noise.
I heard Matthew hop down from the driver’s box. I imagined him tipping his straw hat. He was not in my line of sight. “Mornin’ to ye, sirs.”
“Ah, well…” said the tallest Ranger. I opened the carriage door a crack to watch what was happening. “I’m sorry, sir. No carriages are allowed to cross.”
Matthew looked surprised. I opened the carriage door wider, reaching for my traveling pack. “Excuse me,” I said, “I have some papers here, just a moment…” The three men watched me open my bag and begin digging. All of them looked young. They were probably fresh out of training. Finally, I found the papers that Ellie had given me.
“Here,” I said, holding up my prize. “Serian citizenship papers, Amendyri citizenship papers, and a special note of permission from the Royal Court…”
Looking surprised, the tallest Ranger stepped forward. He took the papers, flipping through them. Then, he stepped back, whispering to the others. After thirty seconds of quiet discussion, the tall Ranger turned back to me, tugging on his forelock.
“We’ve got orders not to let any horses or vehicles through… but, seeing as you have your papers, and… Well, I suppose we could escort you through with the carriage, then make sure it comes back to our side. We’re mostly trying to keep people from coming in to Seria, not from leaving it…”
I had heard rumors about tightened security at the border, but this was more than I expected. “What am I supposed to do when I get to the other side?”
The ranger to the left kicked his boot in the dirt of the road. “You could hire a cart, Miss.
But honestly, I would turn around and go home. Amendyr is not the safest place to be right now.”
“Why not?”
“The Queen-” one Ranger started.
Another interrupted him. “There is a lot of unrest right now. It just isn’t safe. Are you sure you want to cross?”
“I need to go.” I was surprised how firm and confident my voice sounded. I Knew that I needed to go to Amendyr. It was where my future awaited me. “Thank you for offering to escort us.”
Matthew glanced at me questioningly. A shadow clouded his cheerful brown face. He did not like the idea of leaving me on the other side of the border without a carriage. However, he did not protest. He hopped back up onto the driver’s box and urged Sir Thom into a slow walk. The Rangers followed us.
A few minutes later, the carriage stopped. Our three Rangers talked with a second group. Their faces were distorted through the frosted window-glass, but I could see their mouths moving, shifting dark holes against their pale skin. The first three rangers left, and the new group escorted the carriage. Our carriage was passed from one group to the next for two or three hours, moving slowly so that the Rangers could keep up on foot.
I was just dozing off, lulled by the rocking motion of the carriage and the steady tapping o
f Sir Thom’s hooves, when I heard a loud crack. I nearly tumbled from my seat. The smell of burning meat seeped through the edges of the door, filling my nose. I started coughing. “What is that? Saints save us…” I pressed my nose against the glass, trying to see out. Beside the carriage was a huge fire, just a few hundred yards to the side of the road.
Large, twisted black lumps were piled on top of each other in the center of the blaze. Thick black smoke swirled up from the leaping flames, drifting off into the gray afternoon sky. I realized that the black lumps were bodies. Twenty or thirty bodies piled on top of each other, being devoured by the hungry flames. I threw the door of the carriage open, which, thankfully, pulled to a stop. I fell to the ground, catching myself on my hands and retching violently. I had not eaten breakfast, and there was nothing in my stomach to throw up.
I felt Matthew’s hand on my back, holding me steady as I shivered. One of the Rangers hurried over and gathered my hair at the nape of my neck. I took six shaky breaths, keeping my eyes closed. “What – is that … ?” I panted.
“Refugees, Lass,” said a rough voice behind me. “They’ve been tryin’ ta cross fer months now.” I balanced myself on my knees and looked at the Ranger who was holding my hair. He was an old, grizzled soldier with a scar across one eye. Long gray hair was pulled back behind his head. He looked more experienced than the three youngsters we had seen before.
“But… they’re being burned? Why? I don’t – ”
“Oh, the fire ain’t what killed ‘em. The Forest did… We just find the bodies. Gotta get rid of ‘em somehow. Too many to bury.”
“Cate,” Matthew whispered in my ear, “we should turn ‘round and go home! It ain’t safe here.”
“No.” The word cracked, so I cleared my throat and tried again. “No. I need to get to the other side. Take me through.”
“But Cate!”
“Take me through!” The old soldier looked surprised and so did his companions.
“Matthew, if things are this bad… if there are refugees dying when they try to cross… I need to find my family on the other side and make sure they’re all right.”
With new understanding, Matthew helped me to my feet. “Right, Miss. I’ll help ye back to the carriage.” The middle-aged man straightened his back and held his shoulders proud. Matthew had no children of his own, but he felt a deep commitment for family. My journey was no longer a young girl’s whim to him. I realized, suddenly, that he had called me Miss. Maybe he meant it as a term of respect. It had not been said unkindly.
The Rangers watched as I returned to the carriage. The thick, biting smell of cooked flesh stung in my nose. I closed my eyes against it and prayed that my grandmother, who had always been stubborn, had not left her old house and tried to cross the border. Or, a darker part of my mind thought, met an even worse fate.
…
Chapter Five:
It was past sunset when we drew up to an old army post. It was not much more than a pile of crumbling stones. There were three tilted towers. They looked unsteady, but at least we would be out of the elements. The soldiers there offered us food and drink. Matthew accepted their hospitality. I ate a bit of traveling bread from Mam’s basket. After that, I scratched a quick message to Ellie and went to sleep on my small cot.
I dreamt of the brown eyes again. They were so familiar, hovering over me without a face. I reached out to touch them. They backed away. I sat up. I was not resting on a cot, but on young spring grass. I was in a forest.
Stars were scattered across the sky, like salt sprinkled on a black velvet tablecloth. They were everywhere. I could even smell in the dream. Sweet grass. All of the night-smells. And hear! The whirring of flying insects, the chirping of hidden frogs. They were unbelievably clear. Water ran somewhere nearby.
“Close your eyes.” It was a woman’s voice, low and coaxing.
Soft, invisible fingers pressed my eyes closed. Somewhere, a wolf sang to the moon. My muscles twitched at the call.
I opened my eyes. No one was there. My hand reached out on its own, clutching at the air. I was back in my cot, alone. Cold air made my shoulders shake. My blanket had fallen onto the floor beside me. I groped for the edge and pulled it up to my chin. What did these dreams mean?
I did not fall back asleep that night. The long hours were too quiet and I was restless. I was relieved when Matthew came in to wake me. After a quick breakfast (Sir Thom and I both had an apple), we set off again with an escort of three more Rangers. These were hardy, experienced men, the core of Seria’s military force. I was amazed that they would take such an interest in me. It made me wonder what the letter from the Prince said.
When thinking about a border, the mind pictures a thin line on a map. In real life, borders are large spaces of land where both militaries are stationed. There are watchhouses and small stone fortresses hidden among the trees. There are tiny wooden relief huts. And through it all, a narrow, lumpy road with large, winding curves.
Finally, we reached the farthest outpost. There were no Amendyri guards, which surprised me, only the Serian rangers. When one of them knocked on the carriage door, motioning for me to step out, I asked about it. “Where are the Amendyri guards?”
“In the south, quelling the uprisings,” one of the Rangers answered abruptly. “Lots of scuffles and town-burnings goin’ on, there are.”
“They know we take care of things here,” added another. “Don’t want nothing coming in to Seria ‘bout now, by t’Saints.”
The third guard glared at the other two. He did not approve of talking. The first, looking chastened, said, “well, fair travels, Miss.”
I thanked him and the others and turned to Matthew. In a fit of emotion, I rushed into his arms. Matthew had always been kind to me. When I felt a tear on my nose, I knew that I was not just crying for Matthew, but for Ellie, Sarah, Mam, Belladonna, and all of my friends. Baxstresse was not my home, but the people in it were. I would never forget.
“Ah, there now, lass,” Matthew said awkwardly, patting my head. “There now.”
“Thank you so much,” I whispered tightly. “Tell them I give my love. I will be back.”
“A’course you will, Miss Cate. Now, off with you. Go find that Gran’mum a’yours.” I kissed his whiskery chin and watched as he climbed back into the carriage. I stood looking back down the road long after the Rangers, Sir Thom, and Matthew had disappeared into the trees. Then, I turned the other way and started off.
…
My steps were light and easy as I walked along the road. The air was cool on my skin and I could smell autumn coming. The seasons arrived early in Amendyr, rolling from west to east. My traveling pack bounced against my shoulders as I gazed up at the familiar tall trees. Mam’s basket was in my right hand. Once I got to the next village, I could hire a cart to take me where I wanted to go.
I was born near the border and I had seen Amendyri’s Forest before. Of course, only Serians called it the Amendyri Forest. Here, we just called it the Forest. I knew that if I chose a tall tree and climbed to the top, I would be able to see the purple-blue shadows of the Rengast Mountains against the skyline.
Not many people traveled the Forest roads at this time of year, so I was surprised to see a dark, hunched figure come out of the trees. It stepped onto the road. I stared curiously, narrowing my eyes and squinting to see the figure better. As the dark outline became a human shape, I realized that it was an old woman. If she was going to the relief hut I had just left, she would not get there before nightfall. Perhaps she was lost.
“Arim dei,” I called out, raising my hand in greeting. In Amendyri, Arim dei actually meant ‘Pleasant Sun’, but it was like the Serian ‘Hello’.
“Arim dei,” said the old woman. She had a knotted wooden stick in her twisted right hand. Long silver hair spilled out of her black hood. Her pale eyes were bright and I was surprised and a little frightened by them. Her left hand was hidden in her cloak. She looked friendly enough, but I knew that people,
and things, in the Forest were not always what they seemed.
I checked her fingers quickly, making sure that she had five on her hand and not six. I counted the correct number and sighed with relief. At least, I thought, I had not discovered a Rijak. The malicious forest dwellers sometimes took human form to lure people from the road.
“Thank you kindly,” I said pleasantly. The language that I had grown up with came easily to me. “Traveling to the relief post? You won’t be getting there before sundown. They are not letting anyone through.”
The old woman took a step closer, examining me with great interest. I shivered under the scrutiny. “Ah, well, aren’t you a pretty one? No, I live here. Perhaps I should be warning you about what happens to young girls that travel in the Forest near dark.”
I smiled. “You’re right. It would be foolish to stay on the road after sundown.”
“And where are you going in such a hurry?” she asked, gesturing with her stick. I was not surprised at her questions. Amendyri could ask and answer questions until the daylight was gone.
“To find my Grandmother,” I said.
“And what have you got in your basket?”
“Traveling cakes and some wine,” I told her. “A friend made them for me.” I thought of Mam and felt a wave of homesickness, but it quickly passed.
“Where does your grandmother live, girl?”
“Oh, several villages over, on the edge of the forest, beneath three large oak trees.” At least, she used to live there. For all I knew, she had died or moved away. I hoped that my stubborn grandmother had dug her heels in and stayed. Nothing short of physical force would have moved her from her tiny cottage at one time.
I noticed the old woman studying me and allowed myself to be inspected, making sure that my hands were in plain view. She had probably already counted my fingers, but it was good to be sure. “And what a beautiful red cape,” she complimented, eyeing the fine material. “Someone must have been hard at work making that for you.”
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