Stoc (A New Druids Series Book 3)

by Donald D. Allan

  Brent kept his eyes to the men pushing through the long grass and said a few quiet words to guide them. Vicar Martin looked from Brent to Gillespie and he could see the worry there. One of the men cried out and Gillespie heard a scraping sound followed by the squeal of rusted metal. Brent motioned for the other men to bring Gillespie up.

  "Kneel here, Gillespie. I want you to see this. You two, help the others."

  Gillespie fell to his knees and watched the men move forward to the rise. The grass had been pulled back and he could see a dark tunnel on the other side. One of the men crawled in and he heard a shout. Something heavy was passed back to the others and the one nearest Gillespie turned with a large leather bag in his hands. It was aged and cracked and the man held it carefully but with difficulty. It was heavy.

  "Cut it open, Jergins," ordered Brent.

  Jergins pulled out a dagger and cut into the tough leather. He strained to hold the bag with one hand, but he forced the point into a crack and drove it in and sliced down. The sack split open and a stream of gold crowns poured out glinting bright in the morning sun. Hundreds of gold coins rained down and spilled out onto the grass. Gillespie stared in awe, his mouth open and slack.

  "Redgrave's gold," he whispered.

  He felt a dagger press up against his throat and as it drew across he felt nothing but a thin fiery line. He saw his blood fountain up into the air and he reached up desperately to stop his blood from leaving his body and cried out with a gurgle. His hands were slick on his throat and he squeezed to stop the flow. Horror and fear flooded his body and he fought to remain standing as his head grew light and dizzy. He felt his hands weaken in strength and he struggled to stay alive. He watched the ground reach up and pull him down and his eyes grew black with the last sight being that of gold coins covered in his blood.

  Fifteen

  Rigby Farm – mid-July 901 A.C.

  STEVE COMLIN AND his crew reached the top of the ridge that circled the valley the Rigby Farm was nestled in. The cartwheel design of the farm was clear to see from this location. The fields were bursting with crops and here and there the small figure of a druid or farmhand could be seen working the fields or tending to the livestock. Steve had passed Emily, the draoi lookout, and had noticed the smile of joy on the woman's face. He had smiled back and waved and saw Franky do the same. His crew called out to her and a sense of excitement rippled down the line.

  As he looked down toward the farm, he watched the draoi turn as one to look up toward them; the farmhands following a moment later. He could see the front of the main farmhouse and spotted Will Arbor come rushing out and stop in the lane in front of the house and look, it seemed, directly at Steve. Nadine came bursting out behind Will and hugged him from behind with such force that Will was nearly knocked over. She let go, and they took each other's hands and danced a small circle for a turn.

  Franky brushed her bangs away from her eyes with her hand. "It seems our arrival will be well received."

  "Aye, it appears so," said Steve and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried about how they would be received. Their departure had not been a pleasant one. He dreaded his words with Nadine that would come. He was ready to be chastised, but he didn't look forward to it.

  "He will forgive you, my love."

  "I know that, but it's not Will I'm worried about."

  "Nadine. Yes, she'll make boots with your backside."

  "I doubt that will be all."

  "Perhaps a nice pair of gloves? I could use a pair. One glove, anyway. Maybe two right-handed?"

  Steve snorted. Since the Admiral in Jergen had openly mentioned Franky's lost arm she seemed intent to get everyone to notice. "I know where I could stuff one of the gloves."

  Franky feigned a hurt expression. "I'm wounded!"

  "You haven't shut up since we left Jergen."

  "I've plenty to say. Important things, too."

  "So you keep saying. Franky, we need to take this slow. Will is touchy about getting involved in the Realm. We need his help and that of his people. Many will die. He has to see reason."

  "If you'd been listening, you would know I agree with you. Except, I don't think this will be difficult. Will follows that ghostly-Gaea-woman. Does whatever she says. She's who we need to convince."

  "And?"

  "She talks to Nadine."

  "And?"

  "Men," sighed Franky. "Give me strength. We convince Nadine. She convinces Gaea. Gaea tells Will. Done and dusted."

  Steve shook his head. "Women."

  I was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea when Emily Govern called out to all the draoi from her watch station up the ridge. Steve Comlin returns!

  I sat in stunned silence and lowered my cup to the table. I reached out with my senses and felt his presence approaching. Behind him the bright colours of his crew and horses were a sight to behold, and I held it for a moment. Upstairs I heard Nadine's feet thump on the floorboards. She was waking up from an afternoon nap. Her habits of being an old woman remained with her and I teased her about it often.

  I rose from the table and rushed out to the front of the house. I looked up and spotted the crew starting down the hill to the farm. I could sense the great joy in the hearts of my draoi and farmhands. Steve and his crew were family, and they were coming home. I hoped it would be permanent, but schooled my emotions to expect the worst. It might be temporary.

  I thought of the Baron and reached out to sense him but he was nowhere near. I frowned and wondered what had happened that would allow Steve to return. I heard the front screen door bang hard on the frame and before I could turn Nadine jumped me from behind, wrapped her legs around me and squeezed as hard as she could.

  "By the Word, Nadine! Let go!"

  "He's back! He's back!" she shouted and released me only to grab my hands and force me to spin around with her. Sometimes Nadine was just a little girl, and I smiled. According to her, women acting like little girls was cute and adorable. When men acted like little boys, it was annoying and pretentious. I allowed her this exceptional moment of joy and stayed quiet smiling.

  When Steve had left, she had scolded him rather openly. Afterwards she said she regretted it. She had worried she had made certain he would never return. And now here he was. Through our bond I could sense her joy and her trepidation.

  "Do you think he'll stay?" I asked as we settled down and watched the slow procession down the road. It would be half-an-hour before he arrived—we had time to chat.

  "I hope so, love," she said and squeezed my hand.

  I sensed Nadine call out to the draoi to gather. They should be present for the arrival of the crew. Steve's people had run this farm for years with Ben and Agnes Rigby. We often felt we took it from them. If Steve was going to stay we wanted to be certain he understood that the farm would always be theirs.

  The beautiful thing about being draoi was that we were all interconnected. Our bonds were visible to us. Bands of colour connected us no matter where we were in the Realm. I looked at two such ribbons disappearing over the hills to the north. It followed Katherine and Dog. I sensed well-being and contentment through the bond and sent my love to them. We were fortunate. We always felt welcomed and supported. We sensed all life around us and encouraged it to thrive. We soared with the birds, or burrowed with the field mice. We stalked with the cat and felt the quick pain of death of the rat. Every living thing was a force, bright in our sight, and humming with potential.

  One-by-one, the draoi and farmhands entered the front lawn of the farmhouse. We stood in silence watching Steve and his crew approach. Someone had the sense to warn Dempster to prepare more food and then we waited. Charlie Mearns stepped out from the smith, scowled at the ridge at the approaching crew, cursed, and disappeared back inside. We heard the forge bellow being pumped soon after. Many smiled and there were quick hugs in anticipation. The crew was family. We may not always agree, but we were family.

  Steve led the group with Franky riding beside
him. Emily had sent us the numbers, and we were dismayed to hear of the sixty of the crew who had left twelve had not returned. I could see now with them closer that most carried injuries with mild infections and complications. The draoi shared looks and those with the power to heal took small steps forward, eager to administer aid. Nadine bade them wait, and we watched the crew enter and swing off their horses. They formed up in a cluster and moved forward with Steve and Franky at their front. Nadine and I stepped up and I could see a glimmer of worry in Steve's eyes.

  Nadine stepped up and thrust her fists into her hips with her elbows cocked. "Well?" she demanded.

  Steve took a quick look at Franky and then stepped forward. "Nadine, I owe you an apology. You told me when I came back I would owe you one and here I am. Apologising. You were right. I was wrong. Please forgive me."

  Nadine stood in silence glaring at Steve. I kept my face neutral. I could sense her emotions and knew what she held back. Inside she was shouting for joy, dancing a whirlwind, and running through fields with her arms and head thrown back.

  Instead, she nodded once. "Good enough. Accepted. Get your people to tend to their things. Accommodations remain unchanged. Suppers still at six."

  Steve looked to Nadine and then back to me. I shrugged.

  "Welcome back," I said.

  "Thanks."

  "You're staying this time?"

  "Mean to, if you'll have us."

  "The farm was always yours."

  "Ah, I see. Good."

  Franky blew out an exasperated blast of air. "Men! By the Word!" She whistled at the crew and made a hand signal and the crew raced out to greet the draoi and farmhands. There was hugging and crying and a few were spun around in hugs, laughing all the while.

  Steve lifted an arm toward me, thought better of it, and dropped it. Franky snorted.

  "Where's the Baron?" I asked watching everyone pitching in to unpack the horses. Dempster chose that moment to stick his head out the door to the farmhouse and bellow he had sandwiches for everyone out back. He waved to Steve and disappeared back to his kitchen.

  Steve smiled at the interruption and then answered me. "Lord Windthrop is still back in Jergen. He's an ass, did you know that?"

  "I might have noticed."

  "He'll make a terrible king. Still, we took back Jergen from an invading army."

  Nadine and I exchanged a look. "An invading army? You're joking."

  "No, the Lord Protector, now the President of the Republic of Belkin, invited a foreign host to help quell a rebellion in the land. He says there are demons come back from the dead who want to take over the country."

  I gaped at his words. "Demons? He means the draoi, doesn't he?"

  Steve nodded and Franky wrapped her arm around his waist before speaking. "He's out for you, Will. He's brought fighters in from Cian-Oirthear. Ever heard of it?"

  I shook my head but Nadine nodded. "Yes," she said. "To the east. Gaea fought there for a long time but lost. Or so she has told me."

  I was surprised. Nadine hadn't said a word about a land to the east and my angst flooded our bond. She shrugged at me. "Sorry, Will. It was never important enough to bring up. Gaea mentioned it in passing months ago. I thought it odd at the time, now I see she was letting slip details." She looked up at Franky and then scrutinised the crew. "What happened in Jergen? We count twelve less of your people. You lost so many!"

  Franky and Steve's face grew grim. The crew looked to one another and we could sense the mourning. "Aye," replied Steve. "We lost a good many men and women. This army from the east fights in a weird style. Vicious and mean, the lot of them. It took us a little while to find a counter. We left our fallen in Jergen with those from the city who fell defending her streets. They honoured us. They won't be forgotten."

  Nadine wiped her eyes. I felt the misery of the crew and the draoi. Friends had been lost. I felt a strong sense of responsibility envelop me. If we had been there, we could have saved lives. Nadine sensed my emotions and pulled my hand to her cheek. "Don't, love. Don't blame yourself."

  "She's right, Will," said Steve. "Not your fault. The crew has fought for years together and we have lost many the brother and sister. The blame lies at the feet of Healy. Not you."

  I heard the words but I couldn't accept them. There was blame at my feet, too. This was going to be hard to figure out. I was torn between two worlds and I wanted to be in both.

  "Thanks for welcoming us back," said Steve when I didn't respond.

  I raised both eyebrows at the words and then focused on him. "You belong here, Steve."

  "You tried to tell me that once. I had a problem though, one I couldn't get past."

  "What's that?"

  "I made a vow to the Baron long ago. He held me to it. I should have explained, but there was no time. I-I..." Steve was at a loss for words.

  "Uh-huh, and the anger you felt when I didn't join you?"

  Steve looked to the ground. "That was real. I wanted you there to help. The power of the draoi is something to behold. We lost men and women as you know. The Baron lost many more. There will be more conflict. You could make a difference. Save lives."

  I felt the words slap my doubts and anger rose within me. "You can't lay that on me, Steve. I'll remind you my draoi were not asked to join the fight. We were being forced to join. Not the same thing. The Baron had a lust for power that would see the world burn. People were always going to die."

  Steve opened his mouth to say something but Franky grunted a negative and stopped him. He sighed. "True. I see that now. Still hard to accept fully."

  Franky looked from me to Steve and then shook her head. "I'm going inside once I get our horses settled. You two keep having your little discussion. It's so helpful."

  Just then the front door squeaked open and Anne with her baby in her arms came strolling out, both squealing; the baby, I think, from fright at seeing all the people and horses. Franky smiled and stepped up to her to embrace them both. "Anne! You are looking wonderful!"

  "I'm so glad to see you alive! I worried so," said Anne, rocking her baby to quiet her.

  "How's Dempster?" asked Franky, turning to the baby and making soothing sounds,

  Anne winced with one side of her mouth. "Same as always."

  "He's still chasing after you?"

  Anne looked back at the farmhouse to make sure Dempster was still inside. "More or less."

  "Poor you!" laughed Franky. "We'll catch up soon as we stable the horses and settled them down. See you inside in a little while, alright?"

  Anne nodded, gave Franky another hug and skipped back up to the house, the baby stopped crying at once and we all looked at one another.

  Steve looked at me and I laughed. "Same, we'll catch up at the house once you settle."

  My healers stepped forward and glanced at me. "I think some of the draoi need to heal your people, Steve. They can sense the pain and its driving us all a little crazy."

  Steve rubbed the cut on his neck and nodded. "We were hoping you'd say that."

  Two hours later, Steve and Franky settled with a sigh at the kitchen table. They had embraced Dempster and exchanged small talk before Dempster called a stop to plunk a large pitcher of sweetened cold tea on the table. A few large goblets followed and then a plate of oatmeal cookies, fresh from the oven. Steve thanked Dempster and took an admiring bite out of one of the cookies. As he chewed blissfully, Franky snatched up the remaining cookie in his hand and crammed it in her mouth laughing and spilling crumbs.

  "Hey!" cried Steve and reached out for her. Franky tried to move away and fell from the edge of the bench seat to land on her behind with a shocked expression on her face. She froze a moment and then burst out laughing. It was contagious and Nadine and I soon joined in. Franky wiped a tear from her eye and sat back down on the bench. Anne poked her head in to admonish us for waking her child and that got us laughing again.

  In time, we settled in and ate and drank our fill. Nadine leaned against me and I wrapped my a
rm around her. Franky caught Steve's eye and nodded toward us and Steve sighed and lifted up an arm. Franky grinned and snuggled in against Steve.

  A comfortable silence fell in the kitchen. Outside we could hear the crew yelling back and forth with the others. We could hear laughter and with my senses I noticed an odd contentment in the farm. It wasn't just the people and animals. It was the entire farm as a whole. Was it because I wished it so or because they made it so? I wondered. I watched Anne walk in quietly and pull Dempster out of the kitchen to give us time alone.

  Steve rubbed the end of Franky's missing arm and I noticed then just how much more together they were now. Steve seemed to have accepted her in a way I doubt she ever imagined. She seemed softer than before but still the hard fighter outside she always would be. I admired that in her. And in him for accepting the change. They were in harmony and it was beautiful. Nadine sensed my mood and tilted her head back only to miss and kiss my jaw.

  Franky saw and raised an eyebrow. "What was that for, I wonder?" she asked.

  Nadine pushed herself into me a little more. "A gift for being so smart," she laughed to make light of it.

  "Smart at what?"

  "Figuring people out. It's easy for me. Him? Not so easy. He's too young."

  I snorted and looked to Steve for support but he was smiling at me in an odd way. "It's the harmony I see," I offered as way of explanation. Steve looked quizzically at me. "Harmony. Different things working together for the better of each other. You and Franky have that now. I was just admiring it and Nadine caught my thoughts."

  Franky furrowed her eyebrows. "What do we have?"

  "Harmony," I repeated.

  "It's not contagious, is it?" she asked smirking.

  "I sure hope so!" roared Nadine in laughter.

  We spent the next little while laughing and enjoying our company. Steve kept glancing at me and I didn't lose the intent.

  "Relax, Steve. We are good you and I."