“Well, Siobhan, I take that kindly. I think I will. Let me get everyone else sorted and I’ll come back.” Jacobs left the table, calling out to people as he moved.
Siobhan invited Fei to come in closer. “Let me introduce you to everyone else. This is Beirly Kierkegaard.”
A stout man with a bushy red beard and kind eyes stood and extended a hand. “Pleasure, sir. I’m the fixer in the guild so if you have something that needs mending, come to me.”
It was a kind offer, and an unexpected one, as Fei had not heard the like since leaving home. He warmed a little to the man as he took a rough, calloused hand. “I thank you for the offer.”
“And this is Grae Masson,” Siobhan continued. “He’s our Pathmaker.”
A slim man with high cheeks and brown hair stood and offered a hand, but couldn’t quite meet Fei’s eyes. “Pleasure.”
Fei accepted the hand, finding it smooth if firm. This was an intellectual man, not a fighter. Fei made a mental note to keep an eye on him.
“This is Man Fei Lei,” Siobhan finished, pronouncing his name carefully. “From Saoleord. He’s the enforcer for Jacobs on this trip.”
Beirly pulled out the chair next to him. “Sit, sit, join us for dinner. Tell us about Saoleord. It’s a place we haven’t gone to yet.”
Even after three years, Fei found it difficult to speak of his home without choking up. Or perhaps it was because of his three year absence that it wore so on his heart. “You have traveled many places?”
“Most of the four continents,” Beirly answered, warming up to the subject. “In fact, I think it might be easier to list where we haven’t gone.”
“Not true,” Grae objected. “There are whole sections of northern Wynngaard and Orin we’ve never set foot in. Not to mention the western coast of Teherani.”
“It’s because it doesn’t get much caravan traffic,” Beirly agreed. “Most of their trade is done by sea.”
“We have gone the length and breadth of Robarge, though, several times.” Siobhan pointed the serving girl toward their table and helped to pass along plates, never pausing in the conversation. “Yes, thank you, one more basket of rolls please. Man Fei Lei, where all have you traveled since leaving home?”
“Mostly through northern Robarge and some into Teherani,” he answered, far more comfortable with this twist in the conversation. “I have not yet spent any time in Wynngaard, but I did travel twice through the southern section of Orin.”
“Oh, then you’ve gone some distance,” she remarked, approvingly. “Good, I do like people with experience. You’ve traveled by path, then?”
Shaking his head, he denied, “Not once. The caravans I signed on with were always too large for a path. This is my first opportunity.” In fact, it was the first time he had ever met a Pathmaker. His people’s history spoke very little about it and he was almost itching with curiosity. Turning to Grae, he asked with due deference to a master, “I would be honored if you would teach me of it.”
A hint of pink washed over the man’s cheeks. “Well, ah, I’d be glad to answer any questions you have.”
“I fear I only have a basic understanding,” Fei responded. The man’s response inclined Fei to think that Grae was open to discussing his trade. Perhaps he was just a little shy. “Aside from needing paths, and talent, I know little else about it.”
“Oh. That’s not much to go on. Well, then, should I start at the beginning?”
Fei perked up. “Please do.”
True to his word, Grae started at the beginning, first with just a basic overview of how pathmaking worked. Fei, not at all satisfied with this, started asking questions, and it was only then that Grae became truly enthused and started really explaining the mechanics.
The two of them fell into a world of their own—one of geography, mathematics, and magic. Fei dearly wished he had something to take notes on, but he was severely short of paper right at that moment and could only hope that his memory would retain all of this—or at the very least Grae would be patient enough to review anything he forgot. When he finally did return home, he wanted to carry a record of this with him, as nothing like it existed in Saoleord.
A set of knuckles rapped on the table’s surface in between them. Startled back into the real world, Fei blinked up at Siobhan’s amused face.
“Gentlemen,” she said firmly, eyes crinkled up, “while I know you’re having fun talking, it’s very late, and I need you both alert tomorrow. So carry the rest of this conversation tomorrow while we’re on the road, alright?”
Grae pulled out a pocket watch and blinked. “Is it really almost midnight?”
Was it really? Fei was just as surprised, as it felt like they’d only been talking a half hour or so. “My apologies, Masson-zhi, for monopolizing your time.”
“No, no, I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation,” Grae quickly assured him. “In fact, if you’re willing, we can continue tomorrow.”
“Yes, I am.” Fei was buying paper first thing in the morning before the caravan left, as he was truly going to take notes on all of this. This was not an opportunity that came by very often.
“It’s just as well you two are getting along, as there’s been some sort of mix-up and we’re short a bed for the caravans. Master Man Fei Lei, would you mind bunking in with Grae? I had a pallet put into the room for you so you won’t be on the floor.”
Since leaving home, Fei had learned to make due with any berth available, even if that meant two blankets under a starry sky. That this woman who had barely known him four hours would look out for his comfort startled him. He had not been the recipient of such courtesy since leaving Saoleord. “I do not mind, Maley-zhi.”
“Excellent. Grae, show him up, if you would. You did explain to him that we can’t leave until the sun’s strong enough?”
“I did,” Grae confirmed.
“Which means we’ll have time for breakfast and such before getting the caravan sorted,” Siobhan continued. “So don’t try to rise at the break of dawn, there’s no need.”
Unusual for a caravan on the move, but that apparently was one of the perks of having a Pathmaker. After staying up until midnight, Fei was not at all averse to sleeping in a little. “I understand.”
“Then, gentlemen, good night.” With a wave of the hand, she turned and headed off.
Fei watched her go and realized that, while she had been talking to them, Wolfinsky had been at the base of the stairs waiting for her. Without a word, the man followed her up. Was he always that protective, even inside of a good inn like this one? Siobhan Maley struck him as a capable woman—someone who could face the known dangers of the world on her own. If there was something he wasn’t seeing, then Fei needed to know, for if she did need such close protection, he should be on the lookout for dangers as well.
But that was a concern for tomorrow. For tonight, sleep.
Chapter Two
The caravan did not have a single destination, but several. Jacobs’ plan was to go from Widstoe to Stott, then hit every major city on the way to Wade, Teherani. He would of course be making deals and trading as he went, selling and picking up new inventory. Fei had been with him since Turton, only a two weeks’ journey away, so he did not know the man very well. He did, however, think of him as a good boss with a shrewd business sense. If this was the route that Jacobs wanted to go, Fei knew it would be a profitable one, and quicker with a Pathmaker carving the way for them.
Mornings were always busy when getting a caravan ready to move. Fei went from one end to the next, sometimes perching on top of the wagons to get a good aerial view, making sure that no one took advantage of the confusion. Because of this, he noticed that Grae re-checked the path three times, opened it up once, then closed it again before backing off entirely. Jacobs had said Grae was a cautious man, but this behavior seemed to indicate there was a problem. Flipping lightly to the ground, he found his feet and jogged to where Grae, Siobhan, and Jacobs were all standing.
“Is there
a problem?”
“Might be,” Grae allowed with a grimace. “The path doesn’t feel quite right to me this morning. I’ve checked and there’s nothing to explain it on our end, which makes me think that one of two things might be happening. Either the water here has changed in power levels—I’d have to do a test to know for certain—or we’ve got a major storm system ahead of us.”
Siobhan faced due north with a contemplative look. “It’s a straight shot to Stott from here, but it leads us right next to the Hazy Mountains. Bungling into a storm system near there isn’t uncommon.”
Fei followed this explanation and didn’t at the same time. “Forgive me, Masson-zhi, but I do not believe I fully comprehend the problem.”
“Ah, right, we got interrupted last night before I could explain this.” Grae glanced distractedly toward the path even as he explained, “I told you that it requires strong sunlight in order to open a path? That sunlight is a consistent factor for the path. It must be sunny, clear weather all the way to our destination. If we hit a storm, for instance, then the path fails and it throws us off in a random spot along our given route.”
Throw them off a failed path? Alarm shot up Fei’s spine. “If that’s the case, is it not better to wait a day?”
“I’m not sure if the storm is actually there or not, though.” Grae rubbed at the back of his neck, torn. “And we’re in the spring season after all. Avoiding all potential storms isn’t possible.”
“Not if we want to make our itinerary.” Jacobs stabbed a finger northward. “Master Grae, give me the odds.”
“I’d say it’s a forty percent possibility we have a storm ahead of us and moving in fast. The way it feels, I think the path will take us most of the distance, perhaps all of the distance, before it will fail.”
“You think we can beat it, then, and get to Stott?”
“If we’re lucky and move fast? Maybe.”
“I’ll take a maybe.” Jacobs turned and bellowed orders to shape up and move quick about it.
Fei knew why the man had made the call. Jacobs could not afford to sit still in this town for another day and rack up even more lodging and food costs. It would cut severely into his bottom line. Even though he understood, Fei wished for caution’s sake that they weren’t choosing to forge ahead. “Masson-zhi, are you sure it is not the water?”
“I wouldn’t give it high odds,” Grae responded, spreading his hands. “We come to Widstoe often. I know this land better than the back of my hand because it’s my hometown. It’s why I know the paths here so well, enough to know the feeling of a path that is tangled up in a storm.”
That was answer enough. “What do we do if the path kicks us off?”
“It’s happened before,” Siobhan responded, tone reassuring. “Don’t worry. As long as we stick together and wait until the path is completely closed, we don’t lose anyone and nothing gets damaged. We just have to take a moment to reorient ourselves and then travel the rest of the distance ourselves.”
Alright, so it was mostly inconvenient. That calmed his thumping heart. “Even you, Masson-zhi?”
“I’m the least likely to get lost,” Grae assured him, a brief smile flitting over his face. “Don’t worry about me. But wait until you hear me say it’s safe to get down before you move.”
Fei took the warning to heart. “I will do so. Then excuse me, I will help speed things along as I can.”
In the space of a half hour, the caravan was lined up and ready to go. Siobhan pulled him into the Deepwoods cart, which Fei appreciated, as he preferred to be next to people that were veterans at path travel. Especially if the path failed as Grae predicted it would. As he settled into the cart, he asked Beirly, “Kierkegaard-gui, how often do paths fail?”
“Not too often, really, as Grae doesn’t normally take chances if he feels that something’s off. If your caravan boss wasn’t pushing like this, Grae would never choose to try it on his own. This is between me and you,” Beirly lowered his voice to a more confidential tone, “but even if Jacobs had insisted, I don’t think Grae would have allowed it, except that we’re traveling along a well-known caravan route. The path here mirrors it perfectly. Even if the path fails, we can’t get lost.”
Fei gave a silent ‘ah’ of understanding. That did make sense, as Grae’s behavior seemed a trifle reckless for the quiet man. But if this was a known danger, and it would only lead to inconvenience, then of course Grae would shoulder what little risk there was.
Wolfinsky stood up on the cart so that he could see far ahead. In a voice like thunder, he boomed out, “EVERYONE ABOARD! PATH IS OPENING!”
Sitting this closely, Fei’s eardrums rang and he put both palms over his throbbing ears to help block out the rest.
“PATH IS OPEN! STAY IN YOUR WAGONS UNTIL ORDERED DOWN!” Satisfied, Wolfinsky promptly sat, propped up at the very back edge of the cart as if to prevent any of them falling out.
“Sorry,” Siobhan apologized to Fei with a laugh, “we should have warned you. Grae doesn’t have the lungpower to win a shouting match with a mouse, so he and Wolf have worked out hand signals so that Wolf can do the shouting for him.”
Lowering his hands, Fei responded carefully, “I’m sure that you’re saying something, but I have no hearing. When my ears recover, do repeat it for me.”
That made her laugh harder, eyes sparkling. “Your ears will only ring for a minute, I promise.”
Fei certainly hoped so. He had never thought until this moment that another human being could be so loud.
The air warped, becoming a shimmering blur of blues, whites, greens, greys, and browns, all in a spectacular kaleidoscope. Fei looked around with open wonder, tasting the density of the air on his tongue, feeling the humidity dampen his skin. This was an open path? It was alien and beautiful all at once.
“Amazing, ain’t it?” Beirly said, tone low, as if he wanted to share in Fei’s delight. “First time Grae took me on a path, I felt like you do now. I was envious, too, of the talent he has. He can do this any time he pleases.”
“If there is a talent in the world to envy, it would be this one,” Fei agreed huskily.
Siobhan drew in a deep breath and frowned. “I think I see what Grae meant earlier. The air doesn’t feel right.”
“Feels more humid,” Wolfinsky agreed, mirroring her frown of concern. “And it smells like a storm brewing.”
Fei closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, but he couldn’t sense what they were detecting. He opened his mouth to ask a question but never had the chance to voice it, as the cart gave a noticeable lurch.
Wolfinsky swore, grabbed Siobhan and pulled her hard into his side even as he yelled, “BRACE YOURSELVES!”
There was no time for questions. The path around them warped, the colors turning murky and dark. It was an ominous swatch of tones that boded ill for their trip. The cart gave another, harder lurch that made Fei rock in his seat, and he could faintly hear Grae swearing up a storm ahead of them. Then, like a soap bubble bursting, the path failed completely and the humid air and churn of colors disappeared like a phantom.
They had stumbled into an open storm. Gusts of wind swirled around them, carrying errant drops of rain and leaves with it, hard enough to make anyone wince as it stung unprotected skin. Above, the sky was dark, no hint of the sun visible, and the clouds pitched and rolled as a thunderstorm swept in.
Wolfinsky relinquished Siobhan long enough to stand up, spy Grae, and interpret what the Pathmaker was signaling. “GET DOWN! THE PATH IS CLOSED, GET DOWN!”
Fei was not at all familiar with this section of Robarge, as it was further northeast than he had traveled before. There were woods all around them with a road cleaving a path, so he assumed them to be somewhere on the North Caravan Road, possibly in the Hazy Forest. But other than that there were no clues. He did realize that they were in quite the predicament as there was very little room on either side of the road. They could pull the caravan off, barely, but they would be trying to camp inside
the woods.
And camp they must. There was no way to travel in a storm like this and most of the carts, while covered, weren’t large enough to shelter the people.
Realizing what needed to happen, he hopped off the cart and headed toward the front, trying to find Jacobs. The boss was already on the ground, issuing orders, and when he saw Fei, waved him forward so that he wasn’t shouting over the wind. “We’re getting off the road! Help anyone that needs it, then find someone to share a tent with! We don’t have time to set up individual tents before this thing hits!”
Fei bowed in quick acknowledgement and immediately spun, looking for anyone that needed a hand. Most of the drivers here were veterans, so they knew what to do without being told. They were already moving, getting the carts off the road and unhitching the animals, hobbling them so they couldn’t panic and run. Fei went from one person to the next, making sure that they were secure and had what protection canvas and poles could offer before going to the next.
Before everyone could get under cover, the storm hit. It was like being hit with a wall of rain and wind. It blurred sight and sound, relentless and unceasing. Fei had grown up in the mountains and was no stranger to strong storms. He put up with it and kept working.
A strong hand grasped his shoulder. Turning, he found Beirly just behind him. “They’re fine, man!” he yelled to be heard over the downpour. “Get inside our tent before you drown out here!”
The offer was a welcome one, as he had not found a place to go. Fei bowed his head in gratitude before following Beirly into a larger tent that had been nailed to several trees. Stepping through the flap, he paused, not wanting to drench the whole area with his sopping clothes.
“Oh dear, I was afraid of that.” Siobhan stood from her crouch near a small brazier, the flames just taking to the kindling. “I snagged your bag, Man Fei Lei. It’s here. But I’m afraid it got a little damp before I rescued it. I’m not sure if you have anything dry to change into.”
Origins: A Deepwoods Book - a Collection of Deepwoods Short Stories (Deepwoods Series 0) Page 11