The Black Sword Trilogy: The Poacher

by VanMeter, Jeffery

  “And in case you’re wondering, I did indeed cook that meal I gave you myself.”

  “It was delicious.” Terri replied.

  Kayla then introduced Terri to the members of the Sanctuary Council; which included three men and three women. They were all courteous, if not entirely friendly. When they looked at Terri, it seemed as if they were inspecting her; looking through her. This made Terri a little uncomfortable, but she said nothing of it.

  Throughout these introductions, Terri found herself more and more drawn to the curtain at the back of the Sanctuary. There seemed to be a strange energy flowing from the curtains themselves and a sense of mystery that Terri found curious. It seemed to Terri something that might ordinarily have gone unnoticed in any other setting. However, there was something about the curtains that drew her to them. It was if they were calling to her.

  “That is the veil.” She heard Kayla say. “On the other side of those curtains are mysteries very few have discovered.”

  Terri felt confused by that statement. Was there something here that Kayla, the Lady of the Woods didn’t know? How could that be, Terri asked herself?

  “What do you mean, ‘very few’?’ Have you not gone through the curtains?””

  “No I have not, and neither has anyone else inside the Sanctuary at this moment.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking; why not?” Terri probed as politely as she could. For reasons Terri wouldn’t have been able to explain, she found herself more curious about this one part of her circumstance than any other.

  “The veil is a doorway; a threshold between this world and another. The curtains prevent anyone from going in and it also prevents something from the other side from coming out.”

  “If it’s dangerous, why not just wall it up?”

  “For one thing,” Kayla explained, “as I’m sure you’ve noticed, this Sanctuary was not built. It was grown and the opening was part of that growth. And another thing…”and here she paused. “The veil must remain open for someone to pass through.”

  “But you just said that…”

  “Occasionally,” Kayla continued, “someone is called to pass through the veil. Whatever it is that is on the other side calls to them; summons them. They are allowed to pass through. Most of the time, they are allowed to come back; but they are always changed when they return.”

  “And you’ve never been called?” Terri asked.

  Kayla lowered her head a little and her smile lessened.

  “No.” She said simply. “And I don’t think I ever will be.”

  Terri noticed another uncomfortable silence and Kayla appeared to be gazing far off and slightly sad. After a moment, she raised her head and her sweet smile returned.

  “Enough of this,” she said in a happy tone. “We have much to discuss, you and I. And I would prefer to discuss these things in a more relaxed environment. I doubt that you’ve had breakfast yet. Would you care to dine with me and my friends?”

  Terri stammered, not knowing the right thing to say.

  “Sure. That would be great.”

  Kayla then took her by the hand and led her away from the platform.

  Chapter Thirty

  Terri was led out through a door on one side of the platform. She and Kayla were followed by the other members of the Sanctuary Council. They walked along a path through a lush garden with thick brush, flowers, small trees and small animals moving about. She saw a rabbit, and a squirrel climbing one of the trees. She heard birds singing and a light breeze blew through the garden causing the plants and trees to sound as if singing. She also thought she could hear, what sounded like whispering voices coming from all directions. Still the enormous black trees dominated the view as they soared high above.

  Passing through the garden, she was led to a terrace that, like virtually everything else she’d seen thus far, appeared to grow out of one of the trees. On the terrace were men and women with musical instruments; she saw someone with an easel and canvas. In the center of the terrace was a large table with all kinds of food; including meat, fruits and vegetables. There were beautiful plates with painted images of trees, flowers and other growing things with shining, silver flatware. She also saw men and women in dark, brown cloaks holding bows and having quivers full of the same arrows she now had. All bowed deeply when the Lady, the Council and Terri came on to the terrace and came to the table. There was one who had been sitting at the table who rose to stand and Terri was amazed at what she saw. He had an ape like face and thick, grey fur all over him. He was wearing human clothes and was smoking a pipe.

  “Terri,” Kayla said with her hand in the direction of the Morgril. “This is Saab, my military advisor and one of my closest friends.”

  He must have seen Terri’s reaction to him as he smiled and said, “You look like you’ve never seen a Morgril before.”

  “As a matter of fact, I haven’t.” Terri said nervously.

  All around the table stood waiting and Terri did the same. When Kayla sat, all sat in the high backed, soft chairs. The musicians began playing and several servants began to go around the table with the plates and bowls with food.

  “Wow!” said Terri. “I’ve never been served like this.”

  “The ones serving you now,” Kayla said, “are all candidates to be on the future Council or other important positions. It is important that they understand the concept of service to others before being selected for future leadership.”

  “That’s probably something that leaders in the other nations should be taught.”

  Kayla smiled and then touched Terri’s hand.

  “Let us not talk of politics. That subject and religion tend to take away the intimacy of good food and good company.”

  Terri ate a meal of fried eggs, bacon, ham, potatoes and some vegetables she didn’t recognized. It was all more than delicious. To Terri, it was like more than her body was being fed. It was almost as if her very soul was being nourished.

  “This is the best meal I’ve had in…” She stopped herself saying “over a year…” she looked at Kayla and said, “In days.”

  Kayla chuckled.

  “It’s alright,” she said. “If this is better than the meal I served you, then you may say so without my vanity being hurt.”

  At that, everyone at the table laughed.

  Terri continued her meal.

  She ate more than she had in one meal since joining the Army. Even after her first year and when she visited home on leave, she hadn’t eaten as much as she had on this morning. She thought of it for a moment and then remembered that before visiting home, she hadn’t ran fifteen miles, slept in trees for two nights and been almost killed by Wolfen. She also thought of the battle and the friends she’d lost. She thought of Kenner and Captain Krall on their difficult journeys and then found herself saddened.

  “So tell me,” Kayla said, breaking an uncomfortable silence. “For what reason does a lone Walechian soldier run fifteen miles across open ground, sleep in trees while being pursued by a pack of Wolfen?”

  Terri then almost choked on her juice, coughed and then composed herself.

  “How did you know I’m a soldier?” Terri asked.

  “I’d recognize the make of a Walechian bow anywhere. Although I’ve never seen that design of arrows before.”

  Terri settled herself and told the entire story of the army of Wolfen, the battle and her mission. Throughout her telling, she saw amazement and alarm growing on the faces of her audience.

  “Five thousand Wolfen, did you say?” Saab said astonished.

  “At least five thousand,” Terri answered.

  Saab looked around the table, as if studying the reactions of the others.

  “There haven’t been that many Wolfen together in five hundred years.” He said almost as a gasp.

  “What do they want?” One of the Council asked.

  “I don’t know,” Terri answered. “But their strategy seems to be to capture Mobrey, control the river and virtually cu
t Walechia in half. My Captain feels, and I think he may be right; that once Mobrey has been taken, more Wolfen soldiers will then filter into Walechia for further battles.”

  “That makes sense,” Saab added. “It’s a classic dagger thrust maneuver. Attack at speed and with surprise to achieve one military objective, then reinforce, resupply and prepare for larger objectives.”

  “But we still don’t know why,” The Council member interjected.

  “That depends on who is leading them.” Kayla stated. “That many Wolfen wouldn’t have come together unless someone with great power was able to bring them together.”

  “That kind of power hasn’t been seen in this world for centuries.” Saab added.

  Kayla then breathed a heavy and sad sigh.

  “There is one who could summon them.” Kayla said.

  Everyone at the table then went silent.

  “It gets worse,” Terri added. “Their commanding General is a former Walechian soldier and…”she paused dramatically, “he has the silver axe.”

  Terri was expecting a much more dramatic reaction to this news; however, all at the table simply looked at her sadly and then looked away.

  “So the time has come.” Saab said seriously.

  “No ‘time has come’!” One of the Council members exclaimed. “This is Walechia’s problem; not ours!”

  “I agree,” said another. “This is no concern of ours.”

  “What if Walechia falls?”

  “Then so be it! It’s not our war!”

  Everyone at the table began arguing and shouting at each other. Kayla then appeared to almost jump out of her chair.

  “Silence!” She yelled and her voice seemed to echo all around. She looked every person at the table in the eyes, including Terri. There was an anger in her eyes that Terri had previously thought impossible.

  “How many times have I said that meals in this place are sacred times in a sacred place? I will not have raised voices or ill will at my table.”

  Everyone at the table then bowed and seeing this, Terri did the same.

  “This is my fault,” Terri apologized.

  “It is not.” Kayla replied sternly. “I asked you for your story and you told it.”

  “This is dark news.” Saab said, finally raising his head.

  “Indeed it is.” Kayla said sitting down and giving everyone, except Terri another angry glare.

  “But those of you talking about war and our place in any conflict,” She continued, “are looking too far ahead. My greatest concern right now is this young woman. She did not bring war on our doorstep and she is not here to ask for our involvement in anything. She is a soldier on a mission for her country. She came through the Blackwoods seeking only to pass through.”

  “But she was followed by a pack of Wolfen,” A Council member interrupted. He was answered by a look of fire in Kayla’s eyes.

  “She is my guest.” Kayla said in deep and dark tone and, to Terri it seemed as the terrace had become colder. “I expect her to be treated with courtesy and respect.”

  Once again, the table was silent.

  “Now,” Kayla said breaking another uncomfortable silence. “You’ve been through a lot in the last few days and I can tell just by looking at you that you are still very tired.”

  “That is an understatement,” Terri said, trying to sound funny.

  Kayla gave a little laugh and then touched Terri’s hand again. Her touch was soothing and soft; a kind of calming energy seemed to flow through her.

  “I want you to rest here for a couple of days.”

  Terri shook her head.

  “That’s very kind of you, but I really must be on my way.”

  “Terri,” Kayla said softly. “You were at the point of total exhaustion when we found you and in your current condition, you are not strong enough to be able to make the rest of the journey in the time you need. Your fatigue will slow you down.”

  Kayla then sat back, but still caressed Terri’s hand

  “Let this place work its magic on you,” She said. “Let its mystery, this city’s wonderful people and the peace of this land revitalize and strengthen you.”

  “But what about the Wolfen?” The Council member interrupted her. “If there really is an army of them, surely more will come looking for her.”

  “Then I’m sure the forest will take care of them just as they had before.”

  “This the last truly magical place in the known world and I believe destiny has brought you here; if for no other reason than to rest so you can continue your journey and complete your mission. It has been only a few days since the last black night and the moon has not yet been full. Two days will not be fatal to that mission. In fact, after resting here, you will be more fit to complete your mission in plenty of time.”

  She leaned forward and gripped Terri’s hand more firmly.

  “You are my guest,” She reminded Terri. “And you shall have all my land’s hospitality.”

  Terri relaxed, nodded and smiled.

  “It was kind of nice sleeping in a bed, rather than a tree or a hole in the ground.”

  Terri and Kayla then laughed and then continued their meal.

  1.

  Chapter Thirty One

  After finishing breakfast, Terri was taken back to her room. She had a hot bath and was having her shoulders massaged, while she sat on a balcony that was part of her room. She had a large goblet full of ale and was smoking a cigar while listening to music coming from a tree directly across from her’s.

  “I could definitely live like this.” She said to herself.

  “Is that a cigar?” She heard Kayla say behind her.

  Terri turned to face her and saw her standing in the doorway.

  “As a matter of fact it is.” Terri answered happily.

  “I haven’t had a cigar since the last time I visited Sheyron. Do you have anymore?” Kayla asked.

  Feeling a little surprised, Terri answered, “sure. Help yourself. The box is right there,” Terri said, pointing to a table next to her. Kayla selected a cigar from the box, lit it and then sat down in a chair that was brought to her from inside. She then took a deep draw and then let out an enormous plume of smoke towards the sky.

  “You smoke like a professional,” Terri told her.

  “I also smoke a pipe, from time to time.” Kayla said.

  They sat quietly for a moment while both Terri and Kayla relaxed. The music echoed off of the trees making it sound as coming from everywhere at once.

  “I trust they’re taking good care of you here?” Kayla asked.

  “The best care I’ve had in a long time. In fact, I can’t remember ever being pampered like this.” Terri answered.

  “I certainly didn’t have days like these when I worked on the farm.” Kayla told her. “Or when I was a servant to the Council. They spoil me rotten now, but I certainly feel like I had to earn it.”

  “I’m sure, you did. Your folks have done a good job at spoiling me…except maybe for the creepy kid I woke up to this morning.”

  “What do you mean?” Kayla queried.

  “Well,” Terri started. “I’m sure he’s a nice kid and everything, but he doesn’t seem to understand the concept of privacy.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, when I told him I had to change clothes, he didn’t quite seem to ‘get’ that he needed to leave the room.”

  “Oh,” Kayla sighed and then started laughing to herself.

  “What’s so funny?” Terri asked.

  “You probably wouldn’t be too happy to hear that young man gave you a sponge bath.”

  And then they both laughed.

  The two sat on the balcony, talked, smoked and drank for a while; truly enjoying each other’s company. They exchanged stories of their childhoods; places to which they had traveled and people they had known. Terri was fascinated by Kayla’s stories about her travels to the other kingdoms as part of her responsibility after she first became Lady of the Woo
ds. She told of the palace of Parathon in Masallah; hewn out of the rock of the mountain Glahm. She told of the city of Korsh, capital of Sheyron; a huge city stretched like a crescent moon against the sea.

  “There is always music there,” Kayla explained, “And the Admiral is always celebrating something.”

  “Are they really as rich as the stories tell?” Terri asked.

  “I’m not sure the stories do their wealth justice. It is said that Sheyron ships sail on seas of gold.”

  They continued to talk for a while, until Kayla began to look sad.

  “What’s the matter?” Terri asked.

  Kayla appeared to look off into the distance.

  “You say the silver axe has been found?” She asked Terri.

  “Yes, it has.” Terri said seriously. Kayla then took another deep draw and let loose an even larger cloud of smoke.

  “That means war is coming and not just a skirmish or a few battles; a war the likes of which haven’t been seen in this world for five hundred years.”

  “That’s what it looks like.” Terri added.

  Kayla looked out among the trees.

  “This is last place of mystery and magic in the world.” Kayla began. “The spirits live here among us; not like distant, otherworldly visitors, but more like our neighbors. They talk to us; sometimes sing to us. The trees give us safety by keeping the rest of the world at a distance; and the forest provides for our immediate needs. The next Great War is supposed to change all that and there’s nothing me or anyone else can do to prevent that change. We’ll become mere memories of a time and a place lost to history.”

  “You don’t know that,” Terri said, trying to sound reassuring.