Romancing the Stone

by Romancing The Stone [lit]

  Chapter Eight

  "...so that's how I came to be here."

  Sir Gile nodded his golden head. "So you have no family at all to go back to. It's the story of my life, as well."

  "I'm so sorry to hear that." I didn't realize how many people, innocent people, had died in this war. The Inui are monsters.

  "I had only just married my Lillian when the war started. She was always afraid that something bad would happen to me. It never occurred to either of us.... Inui soldiers raided our town one night. A neighbor boy, who had somehow survived, told me he saw them take her away with them." Gile choked and bowed his head.

  "That was almost a year ago now," Osiel put in. "My wife and children were slaughtered in the same raid. Even though she didn't die immediately, I'm not sure poor Lil was the lucky one."

  Those monsters! How can they live with themselves after doing such horrendous things?

  "There is the chance that she's still alive out there...somewhere. I only hope that when this war is at an end at last, I will be able to find her."

  "Ah, my lady fair. I see my comrades are burdening you with their tales."

  Gile and Osiel swore, apologizing profusely, but doing so at the same time, so they were hardly understandable. She felt a little hostility toward the newcomer for that. They were very nice men and had good reason to be sad.

  "I am Sir Kristos." The man, who rode a full head taller in the saddle than the others, grinned wolfishly, flashing bright white teeth. "At your service, my lady." He held out his hand expectantly.

  Lexi was stunned, not just by the fact that this man had come up to speak to her from no where, but because men were coming up continuously to talk. Even now, a wad of men encircled her, complimenting her, vying for her attentions. I've stepped into the Twilight Zone. She extended her hand toward him when it seemed he would not give up waiting.

  Planting a kiss on her knuckles, he held it several moments longer than was necessary. As flattered as she was by all of the attention, Lexi had decided hours ago that it was definitely better to be ignored. A lot less frightening. This man in particular gave her the creeps.

  She was deliberately quiet for the next thirty minutes while he talked and flirted. Relief flooded her when he at last took the hint.

  "Sorry about him." Gile watched his back as he rode off into the crowd. "I guess you've been getting a lot of that since the ban was lifted."

  Lexi stared at him blankly. "Ban?"

  Gile blanched.

  "Uhh...." Osiel looked around to ensure no one was paying attention. "The king banned everyone from speaking to you. Did you not know?"

  That...that bastard! "Why would he do such a thing?"

  He shrugged. "Perhaps he's scared one of his more handsome knights, like the two of us, will steal you away from the stone warrior. He can't very well afford for him to turn into stone again before the battle is won."

  He's already turned back once. What would happen to him if I didn't...do it? Would he stay like that? Forever? The thought was disturbing.

  Gile hit him in the ribs with his elbow.

  "Ow, hey!"

  "The stone warrior lifted the ban himself. I heard he seemed enraged by it. I don't think he knew, if it's any consolation?"

  It was, a little.

  "Not the kind to mind competition? Now there's confidence for you!"

  Why hadn't he told her about it?

  "He's a good man, by all accounts. It is an honor to serve under him."

  Osiel leaned over and whispered into her ear. "It's a pity we all serve the man we do."

  "What? Why?"

  "Why what?" Cairn looked quizzically at the group.

  Sir Gile kissed her hand, biding her farewell. Osiel did as well, lingering a little longer.

  "I hope you'll allow us to ride with you again soon."

  She nodded and watched them go. The other men were quick to depart with little more than a nod.

  When she turned to look at Cairn, he was tight-lipped.

  "I've been wading through your entourage for damn near thirty minutes. Not bothering you over much, are they?"

  "No. They've all been very nice." Most of them, anyway.

  "I apologize for the length of time I was away."

  "That's all right. I had good company." She managed a smile for him, but he remained unchanged.

  "We'll be making camp soon."

  "Good. We need to talk."

  The look he gave her was quizzical, but he remained quiet, staring blankly ahead for over an hour. Lexi thought hard about how she should phrase her questions, but couldn't think of anything that was not blunt and to the point. She didn't want to ask why he had lifted the ban, because the only reasons she could think of were either sweet and harmless, or upsetting. Did he do it to be nice or because he isn't interested in me and doesn't care if one of his men sweeps me off my feet? In the end, she decided it did not really matter, so she wouldn't ask.

  As though following a silent command, the men started setting up camp. Lexi and Cairn rode slowly through the crowd to where their own tent was being set up. The man charged with the task finished just as they got to him. He bowed once before scurrying off, she supposed to set up his own tent.

  After dismounting, Cairn came over to help her down, lifting her in his arms and setting her carefully on the ground. She smiled appreciatively. The pain was not nearly as intense this time as it had been before, though she still had trouble standing up unassisted.

  "Thank you."

  He grunted in response, holding onto her as she walked toward the tent flap. What's wrong with him? Why is he acting this way? Typical male behavior. He lifted that damned ban himself, but now he was unhappy about the other men talking to her? Was that it, or something else? Once inside, she shook off his hands.

  "We need to talk."

  He flopped onto the bed, slinging an arm over his face.

  "Cairn? The men were talking today--"

  "So I heard. They haven't stopped talking yet, have they?"

  "They said something that really bothered me."

  He lifted his arm and studied her. "What?"

  "Well, Osiel--"

  "Who's that?"

  "Uh, he's one of the knights."

  Cairn rolled over, turning his back on her. Why is he pouting like that? It was becoming very frustrating even trying to talk to him.

  "He said that the king couldn't afford for you to turn into stone again before the war is over. As though y--"

  "I know all about it."

  "What?"

  Sighing, he rolled over onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head, staring up at the top of the tent.

  "Orick...king Orick did the same thing."

  "What do you mean?"

  "He placed a ban so that no one could talk to the celestial maiden. No one except me and him. When the war was over, he kept me occupied. She had no where else to go except... Well hell, they might have ended up getting married like that no matter what. It doesn't really matter. I turned back into stone the same day."

  Lexi stared at him in shocked horror. What a bastard! What a--

  "Why? Isn't there some way--"

  "He did it. What does it matter why he did it? That was over a hundred years ago."

  "Isn't there some way you can be saved?"

  He lay in silence, refusing to answer her.

  "Isn't there? There has to be some way to keep you from turning into stone again! Maybe the king knows how. Maybe that's why--"

  "It doesn't matter, Lexi. Just let it go. Stop worrying so much. I'll fight this war and win it, just as I'm supposed to, and afterwards I'll keep my vow and help you find...whoever you came here to find. Just come on and go to sleep."

  "Doesn't matter? Doesn't matter? Of course it matters." It matters to me! There has to be a way to keep him from turning into stone. Maybe that's why that other king married the last girl. So that he would turn back into stone. That thought triggered a wave of revulsion. Did that n
asty thing back at the castle have that planned for me? She definitely would not be going back there again. She wouldn't have to if she found Dionne, would she? But, if she found Dionne...What would happen to Cairn if she left this world? Could he leave it too?

  "It doesn't matter. There's nothing that can be done about it. Not right now."

  Lexi stood studying his profile. Did she really want to leave?

  Chapter Nine

  The houses were gaily painted, bright, cheerful colors. The people he glimpsed rushing inside and locking their doors were dressed like their houses, and seemed rather well fed, in stark contrast to the people he had seen in Romanoe. It hardly appeared like a town under occupation to him.

  "Are you sure this is Tetsborrow?"

  "Positive sir. Look there! That's old Riley the drunk! Hey Riley!"

  The man he had called to, who had just reached the door to his house, turned slowly around, working hard to plaster a smile across his face.

  "Karuso, you old dog! Come in, come in. I'm afraid you'll have to leave your men on the streets. My house isn't that big, but you're more than welcome to come inside yourself."

  "Your house? How did you end up with a house? The owner die?"

  Riley's face fell into a scowl.

  "Karuso...," Cairn warned.

  "King Ivar is a gracious man. You'll find there is no one truly poor in this country. It was one of his programs that got me off the bottle. I got an apprenticeship over in Chalstown and now I have a livelihood. I bought this house on my own."

  Cairn looked at Karuso, who stared at him slack-jawed, then back at Riley.

  "Congratulations. I think we will take you up on your offer of hospitality."

  Riley gave him a quizzical look, but said nothing as the two men dismounted and entered his home. The interior was just as brightly painted as the exterior, but the furnishings seemed a little out of place. Riley seemed to sense his question.

  "They're used. I bought the house. I didn't have enough money left over for something nice to put inside, but I'm working on it. I hope to have a wife this time next year, so it has to look nice when she gets here. Not that she'll let me keep anything I buy!"

  "Riley, I think you know why we're here."

  The smile faded from the man's face.

  "I know what brings you. It's that bastard Chal, determined to drag us back to step on us some more like he does everybody else."

  It was Cairn's turn to be dumbstruck. I knew things were bad in Romanoe, but this....

  "How dare you speak of your rightful king so! I should have your head for that!"

  "That man isn't worthy of being a king. King Ivar is a true king. You won't find anyone here willing to help you, Karuso. I shouldn't even be talking to you, but I always thought you were a reasonable man. Stop this fool's errand he's sent you on. Join us. This is a life of plenty we're living over here. Romanoe will fall eventually, with or without Inui's help. That bastard doesn't know how to run a country. He stole it from his brother--"

  "I should skewer you where you stand, you cur! How dare you speak so of our ruler? Your king?"

  Cairn stepped between them before Karuso could lunge at Riley.

  "We're going now."

  "But sir--"

  "Now." He turned to Riley. "Thank you for your offer of hospitality, but we must go now."

  "He'll call their guard on us, sir. He can't be left alive."

  Riley blanched, his face going white and mouth working soundlessly.

  "He's not a danger."

  "Sir!"

  "I said no," Cairn ground out, glaring down at Karuso. "He won't do anything to impede our progress, will you?"

  He stared hard at Riley. He's a good man. He'll do everything he can to stop us. It didn't matter. They would get to the castle, or Inui's warrior would come to them. Either way, he would complete his task.

  Riley shook his head.

  "You're...you're the stone warrior, aren't you? Romanoe's warrior."

  Cairn nodded.

  "Then all is lost." The man turned from them, hit his table, slumped into a chair.

  Cairn pushed Karuso out the door and into the failing light ahead of him.

  "Night will be upon us soon. We'll have to move quickly if we're to get out of range of the villagers."

  They mounted their horses wordlessly, and ushered their men out of town.

  He said King Ivar was a true king. He sounded like it, if any of the praises Riley had been singing were true. The knowledge made Cairn more than a little resentful. He had to follow King Chal's orders. King Chal, who had stolen his crown from his brother. The men. They knew this. Did they know how much better the villagers were treated here too? If they did, if they were in on it with the king, and he highly suspected they were....

  It doesn't matter. I have to follow the orders of the king. He had served so many kings without a question even entering his mind. What was so wrong this time? It was basically the same fight as before. He was only ever summoned to reclaim lands stolen by one of the other kingdoms. Lands he was at least told had been stolen. He no longer believed anything he had ever been told was true. Could I live with myself, knowing that I had a hand in the re-enslavement of these people?

  * * * *

  No one had bothered dismounting from their horses, so Lexi didn't either, even though she really wanted to. Night was beginning to fall and they were at the edge of a charming little town. It seemed like such a pity not to go in. They used to be part of the Romanoe kingdom, right? Shouldn't they be welcoming their soldiers, their liberators? Cairn and Captain Karuso had ridden in alone and all of the villagers, who had been outside milling about when she had first caught sight of them, had quickly retreated into their homes. Almost like they were afraid or something. Which simply couldn't be the case, right? Why didn't any of the soldiers act at all surprised?

  There were so many men crowded around her she felt like she would suffocate. The novelty of it had worn thin days ago. Now it was gone altogether, replaced by a growing annoyance. She dreaded each day, knowing that she would once again have to endure a long hard ride at the center of a throng of men she had very little interest in.

  Men had never paid her much attention back in the real world and she had a hard time believing she had grown gorgeous in only a little over a week's time. Less groomed, perhaps. She was sure she had shed a few pounds, but that could hardly account for the number of men sniffing around her at all times now.

  Either they’re just horny, or this is something else the king ordered them to do. She had not thought about the latter before, but things made sense if it were true. She didn't really have a high enough opinion of the man to think he was capable to a plot within a plot, but she had not had much contact with him.

  As the minutes went by, Lexi mulled over the possibility of the whole thing being a plot, no longer able to enjoy even Gile and Osiel's company now that she suspected they might be in on it too. You're just getting paranoid Lexi. Calm down. Was it paranoia? The more she thought about it, the more it made perfect sense. Cairn would know, wouldn't he? Maybe, or maybe not. He didn't actually know the king either. Even if the last one had been under-handed, he hadn't thought this one was like that, obviously, because he'd been mad when he found out. She decided, as the group of hounds around her suddenly dispersed and a scowling Cairn appeared beside her, that this might not be the best time to ask him about it.

  "We're not staying here?"

  Cairn grunted, not looking at her.

  "It looked like a nice little town...?" When he failed to respond, she tried a different approach. "So, when are we setting up camp? I'm tired."

  "In a little while. We'll have to get out of range of the villagers first."

  "What? Why?" Why would they need to do that? They hadn't looked happy to see them or anything, but they hardly looked like they could put up much of a fight. Could they really be so foolish as to try?

  "They're desperate men in desperate times."

&nb
sp; In spite of her best efforts, she couldn't get anything else out of him. She didn't fully understand what was wrong with him, but it obviously bothered him a lot. Maybe he noticed what I did? That those people seemed happier than the ones back at Romanoe? Maybe the people of Romanoe would be happy too if they had enough to eat. The king had said Inui took all of their food, didn't he? If that's true, these people are living off the fruits of other people's labors. If it wasn't...?

  They rode for over an hour in the dark before finally stopping for the night. Karuso, of course, was right there to bark orders. The men looked more lack-luster than ever before, but that may have been because no one was allowed to go out hunting this night. No one gets to eat. A long day of riding and nothing at all to eat tonight. How on Earth could soldiers stand it?

  Chapter Ten

  "We're under attack!" Cairn leapt from the bed at the call, almost pulling Lexi along with him on his trip to the floor. Recovering quickly, he pulled himself to his feet, grabbed his sword, and ran out into the night.

  All around him, his men were scrambling, taking up arms and running to the west, where the horn was still calling. Most of the men should have already been engaged. He distinctly remembered telling Karuso to set up a double watch. No use complaining about it now. What's done is done. Even if it does show poor training. He wasn't sure who's training was at fault, but he intended to get to the bottom of it come first light.

  The night was inky and muffled the sounds of battle, making it difficult to locate the fight and impossible to locate Karuso. Who in their right mind would attack at night? They would kill just as many of their own men as his. It showed a deep sense of desperation. Karuso might know something, if he could find him.

  "Karuso!"

  "Over here!"

  The sound was surprisingly close and, after calling out two more times, Cairn was able to locate the source.

  "Karuso. What's going on here?"

  "We're being attacked. It's your fault."

  Cairn tried to ignore that last, for the time being. He pushed images of Karuso with a bloody nose from his mind.