Red World Trilogy

by V. A. Jeffrey

  "So you say. Your own words can take on a meaning you did not intend. Yet, you were quiet clear in your meaning. Do you see? It bothers you, does it not? When you meant what you said and others take your words and confuse the meaning and say it means whatever they decide it means? It does not change the fact that you meant that alchemy is the great secret knowledge of nature, distilled into ways men can understand and study." Omun just looked at him, perplexed.

  "He does that a lot, Omun. Do not let it trouble you." Both Parso and Rhajit laughed.

  . . .

  The next day some of the king's men of Dyrland came through the hamlet, unaware that Rapheth and his men were there. It was early morning and Ephron as outside relieving himself when he heard the horses riding up. He ran inside and woke up Rapheth.

  "They are here!" He whispered.

  "How many did you see?" Asked Rapheth, surprised that Ephron deigned to speak to him.

  "I saw maybe thirty men on horses."

  "Are you sure? Thirty does not sound like a number we cannot handle."

  "Still, they are all seasoned warriors. A few of this band are not." They heard someone creeping around near the farm.

  "These men are not supposed to be here. This is not even their land. They transgress against the law!" One of the mercenaries whispered. A few others were now waking. Rapheth, Ephron, Shukala and Rhajit got up and crept to the back of the house. The shepherd's hounds began barking again. Peeking out the door they saw the king urinating outside the back wall, standing by his horse. Rapheth was struck cold.

  "I wonder if they will try to come to the house or leave. There will be great trouble for this poor family." Said Ephron.

  "I hope he thinks we have moved far off, not knowing anyone here. Thinking he will catch us somewhere in the woods." Whispered Shukala.

  "We should kill him while he is there. He was a fool to leave his land." Said Ephron. Rapheth had the same thought, fleeting though it was. He fought it off and felt his heart sink and the pain in his chest pricked.

  "And we would be fools to lay our hands upon a king, even if he is wicked. A foreign king at that," he said.

  "Why? He wants to kill us!"

  "We do not know that. What we know is that he wants Omun back. Besides, we are foreigners, darker than he and any other men here in these lands. If we lift out hands against him it could spell death for us and this family. We are a ragged band of mercenaries in the eyes of others traveling through their land. They will kill us. We would never make it home."

  "How would they even know unless someone told. Who will tell?"

  "You do realize we were seen by those women going to market?" Said Shukala.

  "Yes. And maybe one of the mercenaries traveling with us, Ephron. They may not have much allegiance to the king but he is still one of their race. We are not."

  "True." Said Rhajit slowly. "They may think differently about it later and seek to kill us even if it might benefit all of us now."

  "You all speak foolishness! Here we are being hunted and this man wishes us ill! We have him in our hands and you wish to spare him? Is this what you plan to do in Hybron when we meet far worse enemies?"

  "He is a king. Not a common man. It is no small matter to raise your hand against a king." Rapheth said evenly. "If there is no provocation and they move on, let the matter be." Ephron turned around and stalked off in disgust. Shukala watched him go and then he turned to Rapheth.

  "You speak for yourself as well as for him."

  "I would be lying if I said I do not, but really, it is not a little thing. It is a dangerous thing that knows no boundary once the line is breached."

  "Why do you say that?"

  "Because none of us would be here, far flung from our homeland if it were not the case. Once a king can be murdered like a dog in the street who recognizes any king after that? Why should kingship mean anything after that?" Shukala said nothing but watched the king closely in silence. They closed the door. The rest of the household was asleep except for Godrik and his wife. No one came to knock upon the door and in fact, their pursuers eventually thundered away east.

  Rhajit closed and locked the door quietly. They all sighed in relief.

  "That sounded like far more than thirty men on horseback. Ephron has a way of making things seem less serious than they really are." Said Rapheth.

  "Rapheth, though I understand why you say what you say, Ephron has a good point."

  "For now, yes. But the long run is what I am looking at." But he began to doubt that it was truly a wise idea after all. Ephron's testiness and constant challenging was disturbing and frustrating to him. He was losing his friend and he could not understand how to change it.

  "You do not agree with me either?" Rhajit shook his head.

  "Why come all this way, have men follow you and you do not take action to even defend yourself? How will you defend yourself when you get back to Hybron against the current king?" Rhajit turned and walked away back into the darkness and warmth of the house. The rest of the day they did not speak to Rapheth and Rapheth kept to himself mainly sitting outside watching the sheep. Sheep did not buck authority, rage against or challenge their masters. Or seemed that way to him. They followed. However, people were not sheep. Kings had to deal with challenges to their rule. The prospect of kingship pulled him down like a millstone hanging around his neck. He felt the painful thrumming of the mark in his chest again. He placed his hand there and breathed deeply to try to relieve it. Footsteps came up behind him. Rhajit and Parso were coming out. Rapheth got up and went farther down across a hill, by himself.

  . . .

  "I see a problem, Parso."

  "What problem?"

  "Leadership. I pledged myself to Rapheth but he is too timid. We should have killed the king." Parso's brow went up. He looked around to make sure there was no one listening.

  "And what do you think would have happened after that?"

  "Nothing. Who would have known?"

  "Just because we show the quilt and the teraphim to Godrik does not mean we are close friends. He shows us hospitality in his house but he did not agree to show hospitality to king-killers, Rhajit."

  "We have no idea what would have happened if they had found us here. They may have killed us and killed the shepherd and his family and dragged Omun back in ropes."

  "But that did not happen. I understand why Rapheth did not want to take such action. A wise move. Perhaps you should see it from his view. Too many men look to the sword as the first action to solve problems. It rarely solves problems. If it did the world would be rid of them by now."

  "Sometime the sword is the only option available."

  "But when it is not why choose it? Listen to yourself. You say you have pledged yourself to Rapheth but now because you do not like a decision he has made you protest? I am not saying that everything he will do is perfect. No man is perfect but loyalty is of utmost importance and especially when dealing with Divine Prophecy. Rapheth is the promised one, not a usurper. Now listen. That man is a king. Kings are allowed in their relative positions for a reason, for law and order. But in order for that to mean anything people have to respect it, not just when it benefits them but even when it does not until the time comes for a change to take place. You do not follow a law only when it pleases you or profits you if you want to see a realm of peace and prosperity. It starts with the willing obedience of all men within the realm to the king. Look at Hybron and Egi. They are on the brink of chaos, slipping back into the Dark Age. The Twilight Kingdoms are nothing but a lurching after another of one murderous ruler or another. This is because of a breakdown in authority and even respect for the things in place. It is a dangerous matter to lift your hand against a king in such a way, even if you deem it necessary. Once that happens, who is to say that one cannot or should not lift their hand up against you? Who is to stop it? Really, no one will stop it because the line has been crossed and you have already shown the way. If he really did do that, kill that king, that man,
later on how will you really view him? If he makes decisions you do not like would you summarily kill him, Rhajit?" Rhajit bristled.

  "Of course not! What do you mean?"

  "I mean this. I have seen many things around the world. Usurpations, not just in the Middle World. Once this is done what comes afterward is a wall of chaos. Chaos lasts for many years. To face a king on the battlefield and to kill him there is one thing. But it is a very different thing to assassinate one. I believe Rapheth made the wisest decision, not the most expedient one."

  "But what if that decision comes back to haunt us?"

  "That is where your trust in Airend-Ur comes in, Rhajit. If He was not guiding us all this way we would all be dead by now. None of us should be alive." Rhajit looked out across the sun broken sky. He sighed.

  "It will be time for us to leave soon."

  "Yes. We must get on. The real battles will happen as soon as we set foot in Hybron. We must save our muster for that." They stayed a few more days at Godrik's house and then said their goodbyes, thanking the shepherd and his wife for their hospitality, wishing them good fortune and they went on their way, refreshed, a little more relaxed and with the pursuers far ahead of them. Except that Ephron did not ride with Rapheth or Shukala. He rode close with the mercenaries which angered Rapheth, who decided to leave the matter alone for the time being.

  "You were right, Rapheth. I am glad we did not attack the king of Dyrland. It might have gone ill for us if we did," said Shukala.

  "I learned from the prophet and the Holy Writings that there are always consequences to killing an unarmed man and the killing of a king rarely has a good outcome."

  "I cannot imagine the chaos that could develop if such things continued in Hybron. It must be brought around to order."

  "That is exactly what I intend to do."

  "Are you worried about Ephron?" He asked.

  "I am but as of now there is nothing I can do. I do not wish to further alienate him so I will leave him be for now. Later I will talk with him."

  They traveled for about two weeks and found themselves gradually climbing out of the Great Ridge. Shukala began taking notes of the surrounding land features and recalling to memory those he saw previously, given some papers by Baudolino. He also began working on some primitive looking maps. One afternoon they heard a wild sounding goat horn and the thundering of horses coming and soon found themselves surrounded on all sides by nearly one hundred men. Northern wild tribesmen by the look of them. They were not the king's men.

  "Why do you men hem us in? What have we done?" Asked Rapheth feeling fear rise in him but his voice did not betray it. One of them rode up to him.

  "I am Halin of the Ostrites. We have heard reports of a group of outlanders raiding and killing through the land farther south of here, dark men and villains they were called. The king of Dyrland said to bring them to justice for the many foul deeds they did within his borders."

  "Do you accuse us of these deeds?"

  "Are you the men he spoke of?"

  "We are outlanders, yes, but we have done no such things."

  "Why should I not believe him?"

  "We just left a man named Godrik and his wife, Inneth. Their home they let us stay for respite and before that we were guests of his relative, the Great Thane Uwain, one of the Dyrland chieftains. He gave us these." And he showed the quilt and teraphim. The man's countenance relaxed. The other men with him murmured among themselves.

  "Such sacred things would not be given to villains. Godrik is a relation of my mate. She being his cousin."

  "I am of the Karig. I am Rafka Rapheth Khalit ka Dahlan, son of Khalit ka Dahlan.

  "I am Halin, son of Hamin. I am glad to meet you and that you are a friend of the tribe, otherwise I would have killed you all. I thought at first you were the band of villains from Dyrland."

  "No. They defame us. The king pursues us because he would rather not keep his promise. The king of Dyrlander is a faithless man who went back on his word." The tribal men laughed loudly and heartily.

  "Why do they laugh.?" Asked Shukala. Halin smiled.

  "Because only a foreigner in these parts would not know this about that Dyrlander dog. What did he try to deceive you in?"

  "A friend of mine worked for him in his forges and taught his own swordsmiths his skills. When it was time to let him go he gave it but now he wants my friend to come back and slave for him."

  "And now they have set themselves to harrying Icyt villagers on the border."

  "Perhaps if we had simply given the man up to him, innocent people would not be harried now." Said one of the mercenaries. They all looked back but the tribal leader laughed.

  "I have no argument with alchemists. They have done me no wrong in that I should send a man back into the jaws of the Liar-King." Rapheth felt sweat forming underneath his clothes like a fire breaking out and whipping around his body but he betrayed no emotion other than calm. He would have serious words with Ephron later.

  "We are going your way or if you would rather travel alone-" Began Halin.

  "We are going eastward and out of the Great Ridge. There is safety in greater numbers. Let us go with you until we must part." Said Rapheth. So they all traveled eastward not too far from the Black River and found themselves in the Blue Frost forest. Shukala made note of it. They continued until they reached the great Ceaga waterfalls.

  There was a great gathering of Ostrites at the foot of the falls by the river's shore, a temporary camp of yurtas. A great council of them were convening and Rapheth sought to know what it was about. As it turned out, a much larger band of king's warriors were pouring in from the border of Dyrland seeking Omun.

  "This man of yours seems like a golden key to the king. Perhaps he has the key to rule the world." Said Halin.

  "Omun was willing to share his Golden knowledge with many there and he did. Even with the king's smiths. What he knows they know. There is no need for all of this." Rapheth said. Just when he felt the world caving in on him he marveled at this bright, unexpected turn of events. They had allies on their side once again.

  "Well," said Halin, "if I know King Baldric, smiths who do not work for him may find themselves on the wrong side of the law one day. Knowledge is power and men like him do not share power."

  Chapter Fifteen

  The waterfall thundered and smoked, throwing up mountains of steam and spray. The water spray and steam seemed a brilliant blue and fish leaped through the smoking waters. A small herd of aurochs grazed on the opposite side of the river.

  "This reminds me of the waterfall in Deridenke, near Funda." Said Shukala wistfully.

  "What was it like?" Asked Rapheth.

  "Cloud forests so dense you could barely see the ground. It is wet like this land but very warm. It had a waterfall so vast that the people there called it the Smoke of Waters That Thunder. A dazzling sight. My father took us there once when I was small. We were a part of a trade and peace delegation when he served under king of Jura and the king wanted my father to take note of the land features, land masses, roads and cities and things." He paused for a moment. "That was under King Kufun I." He paused for a moment. "You will have to deal with King Kufun II I fear."

  "Yes. He wants to finish his father's work."

  "My father once said that their real object is Egi. Once the Jurite Kings ruled there for nearly one hundred years before they were pushed out. The Juta dynasty, this current ruling family in Jura are obsessed with conquest. Even more so than most. And the economy has been sagging for a long time. Then there was a ugly conflict between them and the Aju family. Which was why my father moved to Hybron."

  "Constant conquest. How long can that last? That is something I must change about the Middle World, at least in Hybron, Shukala. This ongoing need for conquest and defeating and subjugating peoples for wealth and gain. There has to be another way to maintain the kingdom without berefting women and children of husbands and fathers and enslaving people."

  "But it has always
been that way, much as I dislike it."

  "I will need men like you to help me work these things out." Shukala smiled.

  "Would you prefer to be the royal cartographer like your father was before you?"

  "I never thought not to be. I figured I would simply follow in my father's footsteps."

  "I have noticed you have been drawing quite a bit."

  "I have actually been making some mental notes along the way too. I have run out of paper though. Baudolino gave me all that he could spare." He pulled out a small leather-bound folder filled with leaflets. Some were wet and the markings ran, but they looked like an impressive array of landmarks and features; of the forests, fields and the Black River of Dyrland. He even included the mountains Blacry, Rain Mist and Fog Head.

  "These are a poor beginning and we do not know how vast these forests are yet. We did not even touch the surface." He looked over them ruefully. "If my father saw these he would shake his head."

  "Well you don't have all the necessary things yet. Here," Rapheth gave him a few precious pieces of paper he had from Fredriko back in Tidua. "Try to draw some features of what you saw on the Icyt borders and these falls. Pay special attention to the features along the road when we arrive at the plains."

  "I will." Rapheth thought about showing him the star maps that Parso was carrying. He wondered how the Celestial Ocean figured into all of this. It must, somehow. He saw Ephron pass by, ignoring them to go and sit with the mercenaries. A dark cloud passed over Rapheth. Shukala threw a disapproving glance at Ephron but went on to examine his drawings. Rapheth strode over to Ephron.

  "Ephron, I would speak with you in private."

  "Oh you would? And what do you have to say that cannot be said here?"

  "We are friends, are we not?"

  "Are we?"

  "What is the matter? Because I did not follow your advice you are angry?"

  "Because we could have been killed."

  "Except we were not killed."

  "And the next time you fail to make a right decision, we could be killed."

  "Ephron-"