Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web (The Complete Epic Fantasy)

by Thomas J. Prestopnik

  “So I’ve heard,” Nicholas said as they arrived at the river and loaded the boats. He was amazed at Hannah’s knowledge of the situation.

  “But maybe one day the villages might unite into a nation of sorts as the population grows,” she replied. “Right now, however, places such as Illingboc, Reese, Great Bear–and even the village of Woodwater where your guide lives–are simply small communities where people enjoy being left alone to pursue their lives without interference from the outside world.”

  “Until now,” Nicholas said.

  “Until now,” she softly echoed. “But maybe that can change,” she added without explanation before heading off to the cabin to gather more supplies, including the coat from the dead man. Nicholas wondered if that remark portended anything more than wishful thinking. But he was too mentally fatigued to pursue the matter and would wait until he was introduced to Hannah’s brother before asking more questions.

  They departed a few hours later beneath overhanging treetops, ragged gray clouds and intermittent sunshine. The air was cool as they paddled their canoes side by side down the Wolf River, hoping to reach Illingboc by nightfall. The water, scattered with a handful of autumn leaves, mirrored the somber fleet of clouds and the occasional sparks of sunlight as their journey peacefully progressed.

  “Though I value my privacy, it’s lovely to make this trip to Illingboc with somebody,” Hannah remarked. “Yet after a few weeks with Arch and his wife, and of course all the socializing through the winter with several friends, I usually find myself content to return home alone. I guess it all balances out in the end.” She expertly dipped her paddle into the water, alternating from side to side.

  “You should get a dog or two to fill up those lonely hours,” Nicholas suggested, recalling Frank and Gus with amusement.

  “Maybe one day. But usually I’m just too busy to get lonely. There is always another task on my list. Living here is a glorious treasure, but it’s an awful lot of work, too. So I do enjoy a few weeks of leisure now and then at Arch’s place, though I suspect this visit might not be as restful as the others.”

  “Why?” Nicholas asked, noting a faraway look in her eyes.

  “Hmmm?” she finally replied, as if momentarily forgetting that he was beside her in the next boat. “What’d you say?”

  “Nothing important. Are we near the end of the trees yet?”

  “It shouldn’t be too long. We can go ashore and have lunch.”

  “Good. I’ve seen nothing but forest for days on end,” he said. “I need a change of scenery. I can’t wait to look out across the Trillium Sea again. There were times I thought I’d never get back.”

  Nicholas remembered unsuccessfully asking King Justin for assistance in searching for Ivy, finding it difficult then to think that he would ever again stand upon the coastline. But now he was nearly there, his long journey almost complete. Yet the search for Ivy was only beginning. He felt proud of himself nonetheless as he contemplated all the miles and hardships he had endured to get this far. And though Ivy might still be miles and weeks away from being rescued, Nicholas felt closer to her now than he had in a long time. He wondered if she felt that same connection to him, praying that Ivy hadn’t given up hope that he would somehow find her.

  They emerged from the woods within the hour. The world suddenly opened up before them as they floated past the last of the trees along the water’s tranquil surface. The late-afternoon sunlight, tempered by a veil of gauzy clouds, gently illuminated stretches of low, rolling hills, lonely scrublands and an occasional farm field on either side of the river, all tinted in muted shades of greens and browns of a dying autumn. The colder, open air caused them to bundle up tightly in their coats and hoods as a light but biting breeze played across the landscape. Nicholas didn’t mind though, knowing he had only a few more miles to paddle until he could bask in the humbling sight of the Trillium Sea, wishing that Ivy could share the moment with him.

  Hannah suggested they stop for another break as the sun dipped behind them in the southwest, but soon after they were back on the river. At last the clouds began to thin and disperse, opening up large patches of deep blue sky that dispelled some of the visual monotony. About an hour later, the surrounding lands grew flat and the scent of salty seawater lingered in the air. At the first hint of encroaching twilight, Nicholas finally caught a glimpse of the Trillium Sea spread out in the distance like a giant swath of dark, blue velvet. He stopped paddling and let the current of the Wolf River carry him onward for a few moments as he soaked up the wondrous sight, its distant waters absorbing the last, weak rays of the setting sun.

  “I can’t believe I made it, Hannah,” he whispered, his gaze locked on the far horizon before he turned to his companion. “And I have you to thank.”

  “You have many people to thank from what you told me,” she said. “But I’m happy to be on the list. Now let’s pick up the pace and get to Illingboc before the darkness completely swallows us. It’s less than two miles from here on the southern bank. Arch’s wife, Natalie, will feed us well when we get there. You can count on it.”

  They moved on with renewed vigor and soon saw the spread of lights in the village on the south side of the river to their right. As they paddled closer to shore, the river slowly opened up into the sea itself. The community of Illingboc was situated on the corner of land where the coastline intersected with the southern bank of the river, though some additional homes and businesses were sprouting up on the northern side of Wolf River in recent years as the population slowly grew.

  Hannah guided Nicholas to a tiny wooden dock along the last section of the river where they tied up their canoes and stepped ashore, stretching their aching limbs and inhaling the fresh sea air. The grassy area was vacant and silent. Nicholas removed his hood and closed his eyes for a moment, letting the breeze wash across his face and cleanse his weary mind.

  “We can walk to Arch’s place from here,” Hannah said. “It’s only a few minutes away. We’ll return with a horse and cart for our things afterward. They’ll be safe.”

  “Lead on,” he replied. “I’m looking forward to that meal you promised from your sister-in-law, as well as a good night’s sleep.”

  “All in due time,” she said as she stepped off the dock and walked along a trampled path through the grass. “I know Arch will want to talk with you first about your travels–over some fine wine or ale, of course. So it won’t be too taxing an evening.”

  “That I can handle,” he replied, picturing himself in front of a roaring fire and sipping his drink as if he were back relaxing at the Water Barrel Inn.

  Soon they arrived at an elegant stone house in the middle of town, several of its windows glowing with soft light in the deepening darkness. The Fox Moon, now a few days from full, rose high in the east and gently scattered its light across the seawater. A handful of tall, sinewy trees stood guard around the property, gently bending in the night breeze. Though a much smaller house, it reminded Nicholas of Oscar and Amanda’s home in Kanesbury and of better times.

  “Your brother seems to have done well for himself,” Nicholas remarked as they approached the red painted front door illuminated by an oil lamp suspended from an overhanging iron fixture.

  “He’s an astute businessman with his fingers in several endeavors,” Hannah replied, “unlike his sister who is content to live life in the woods. Still, I do enjoy the fruits of his labor when I visit which he happily shares, yet Arch has spent time at my place in the woods for a couple of days now and then. He says it’s primarily to check on my wellbeing, though he does appear more rested and content after he leaves than when he arrives. I think the breaks from his day-to-day work are good for him. Maybe one day he’ll build a second home in the wild simply as a refuge from life in Illingboc.”

  Hannah knocked on the front door and was promptly greeted by her surprised and delighted sister-in-law, Natalie. The woman was a few years younger than Hannah and attired in a light blue dress and a white shaw
l with decorative embroidery. She greeted Hannah with a hug and embraced Nicholas with equal affection after he was introduced.

  “Only three days ago I was telling Arch that I think we were long overdue for a visit from you, Hannah. I instructed Eva to freshen up your room just in case–I had her wash the drapes and the feather comforter–and well, here you are! Eva has the night off this evening which is why I’m answering the door. But I don’t mind. Arch spoils me too much with the house help. So anyway, if you’ll just give me a few minutes, I’ll dig something out of the pantry for both of you to eat and drink. How’s chicken sound? Nicholas, do you like chicken? Now come along!” she said with an enthusiastic wave of her hand, having taken only a few steps down the hallway since she opened the door. “Arch is in the sitting room poring over one of his ledgers, a habit I can’t seem to break him of even after work hours. But he is a dear! My, we’ll be able to have a lovely conversation tonight in front of the fire. Oh, I’m so glad you’re here!”

  As they followed the woman into the next room, Hannah glanced at Nicholas with an amused glint in her eyes, silently letting him know that he had just met the love of her brother’s life. Nicholas grinned back, wondering if they would have a chance to participate in any conversation with Natalie at the helm. Still, the woman was charming in her way and he was grateful for her hospitality given so freely to a stranger such as himself.

  When they entered the sitting room, Arch was working behind a corner desk leafing through the yellowed pages of a ledger illuminated by the bright light of an oil lamp. He looked up and smiled when seeing his sister and stood to greet her with a hug. Arch Boland was a tall man with thick, dark hair and a trimmed mustache beneath a set of rich brown eyes. Nicholas thought they conveyed a hint of weariness and concern despite his cheerful demeanor and firm handshake he offered after he was introduced by Hannah.

  “Any friend of my sister is welcomed in my house,” he said.

  “I’ll always be in her debt after what she did for me,” Nicholas replied. As they sat around the fire, he was soon providing details to Arch and his wife about how Hannah had saved his life two nights ago in the forest. Arch and Natalie listened attentively and with much concern when they learned that two soldiers from the Northern Isles had penetrated so far into the Dunn Hills.

  “I wonder if there are others,” Arch said. “For more than a year they have been heading up the Lorren River on rafts they construct with wood harvested from the forests only miles away from our villages. Yet we were not aware of any incursions into other parts of our homeland until now. We just assumed that their goal was to supply Kargoth with goods and soldiers.”

  “As far as I know, the two soldiers who were after me and my friends were looking for us specifically,” Nicholas said. “Maybe they were the only ones sent into the Dunn Hills.” He informed Arch and his wife about the invasion of Montavia. “I’d guess that the manpower of the Northern Isles is limited like in any other place. Maybe a war in Montavia along with their tribute of men and supplies to Vellan is all they can handle right now.”

  “Perhaps my Arch is needlessly worrying about problems that are merely the handiwork of his imagination,” Natalie suggested with a pleasant smile.

  “If only it were so, Natalie,” he replied. “Yet I and others worry that when the Islanders are through fulfilling their agreement with Vellan, they may have their eyes focused on our lands. They’re not blind to our resources, and goodness knows they can plainly see that we pose no military threat.” He sighed discouragingly as he stroked his chin. “It’s only a matter of time, I fear, before the battle reaches our shores.”

  Natalie served dinner, and shortly after eating, Nicholas and Hannah returned to the dock with a horse and cart to retrieve their belongings. Later, everyone gathered around the fire for more drinks and conversation. Arch and his wife were enthralled by Nicholas’ adventures on the road. They were deeply touched that he planned to make his way to the Northern Isles and search for Ivy despite their warnings of danger. Nicholas wondered if he was telling these people too much about his personal life, but the heat of the fire and the delicious wine provided him some much needed relaxation. He willingly offered details about his life as he was more than grateful to accept help where he could find it.

  “Your King must have been proud of you, Nicholas, when you agreed to venture into the wild and seek out that wizard,” Arch said. “The world needs more individuals like you who’ll temporarily put aside the conveniences of life to protect the people and lands that they love.”

  “I was only doing what I thought was right,” he replied. “Before I fled my village I had planned to join up with the King’s Guard, yet I ended up at the Blue Citadel in his service anyway.”

  “Maybe it was fate,” Hannah suggested.

  “Maybe,” he replied with a shrug. “Many strange things have happened to me, so I’m open to any explanation.”

  “Maybe it was fate that also brought you to my home in the woods,” she added, glancing at Nicholas before looking askance at her brother. “I have something for you, Arch, out on the wagon. I’ll just be a moment.”

  “Hannah, dear, you needn’t bring us a gift every time you visit,” Natalie said to her sister-in-law as she exited the room.

  “This is much more than a gift,” she replied, her voice drifting back with a tone of mystery just before she stepped out of the house.

  “Perhaps she brought us back a deer carcass,” Arch joked while his wife refilled everyone’s cup with wine.

  Moments later Hannah reentered the room with a large brown coat draped over one arm. Arch and Natalie looked up, not quite sure what she held. Nicholas, however, grew immediately uncomfortable, knowing the origins of that item of clothing, yet was curious to learn why Hannah was so preoccupied with the dead soldier’s coat.

  “What have you there?” Arch asked, eyeing the heavy material. “Did you wrap something in that?”

  “No,” Hannah said. “This is the item I was talking about. Maybe you’ll recognize it when I hold it up to the firelight.”

  Hannah stepped close to the fireplace, and after grabbing the garment by its shoulders, she raised it in front of her so everyone could plainly see that it was a coat traditionally worn by the soldiers from the Northern Isles. Arch recognized it immediately and seemed surprised that his sister possessed such an item.

  “You confiscated it from the dead man?” he asked.

  “And his dagger, too. I thought you might be able to use them,” she replied before indicating Nicholas with a turn of her head. “And perhaps him?”

  Arch Boland understood his sister’s intent. “Have you brought me a recruit for the cause?” he asked, wanting to make sure they were thinking along the same lines.

  “If he’s willing,” Hannah replied. “He did say he means to go to the Northern Isles. Perhaps you can make use of him somehow.”

  Nicholas slowly turned his head and stared at Hannah, his mouth slightly agape. “Is this why you brought me here? To be a recruit?” Hannah smiled guiltily as she folded the coat over her arm again. “For what exactly?”

  She sat down in her chair, resting the coat upon her lap and pressing out the wrinkles with a few swipes of her hand over the coarse material. “Now don’t be angry with me, Nicholas, because I only had the best of intentions for both you and my brother. And didn’t I promise you a way on board one of the ships from the Isles?”

  “You did,” he replied, “though I had my doubts. Now I’m not so sure. After hearing your brother speak and seeing his reaction to the coat, well, I don’t know what to think.” He glanced at Arch, his eyes filled with questions and concerns. “What were you referring to when you asked Hannah if I was here as a recruit?”

  Arch looked silently at his sister while weighing his words.

  “I didn’t tell him specifics–not that I know many myself,” Hannah told her brother somewhat defensively. “I’m aware of how much you value the secrecy of your operation, yet I
was convinced that Nicholas might be an asset to your cause.”

  “So am I,” Arch said. “After hearing his story, there is no doubt which side Nicholas is on. But he does not live here. He has no stake in our fight.”

  Nicholas folded his arms, a thin stream of air escaping from the side of his mouth. After all the wine he had drunk, he was not shy about expressing his thoughts in the home of a stranger. “Not to be rude, but could you please tell me what you’re all talking about?”

  “You’d better tell him, dear, now that you and Hannah have spoken words you can’t take back,” Natalie instructed her husband. “In the meantime, I’ll clean up in the kitchen. Military matters are beyond my area of expertise.” She affectionately kissed her husband on top of the head and smiled before strolling out of the room.

  Nicholas’ curiosity was piqued. “Military matters?”

  “So to speak,” Arch said, clearing his throat and leaning back in his chair. “I’ll get right to the point, Nicholas. Though the villages up and down the Crescent have no formal army, each locality defends its own as best it can. And there’s a loose cooperation among the villages when need arises. But after ships from the Northern Isles started to arrive intermittently beginning last year, we knew that we couldn’t prevent them from doing as they pleased. Our villages were easily outnumbered and out-armed by their forces. Any notion of ridding them from the area died quickly at the sight of their ship flags waving in the breezes–along with our sense of isolation, security and freedom from the outside world.”

  “I’m guessing that you’ve mounted some kind of resistance,” Nicholas said, eager to hear more.

  “We did. Several people from each village had the same idea that something had to be done to push back such a blatant incursion,” he explained, his voice steady and low. “Word spread from village to village up and down the coast. Meetings were held to plot a strategy. The gatherings were secret so as not to generate wild rumors and possibly reveal our intentions to the enemy.”