"I don't think so. It wouldn't be a prudent thing to do." A horn sounding the end of the rest disrupted Emel's further thoughts on the matter. "Time to mount."
Emel walked away. Adrina grabbed his hand, turning him back to face her as she did so. "Why?"
"It's probably nothing, hardly anyone knows about it."
The horn sounded again. Hurriedly Emel escorted Adrina to her mount. As Emel helped Adrina into the saddle, she glared at him and said, "What aren't you telling me, the truth?"
"Ride with me," he told her, "I want you close."
The first night in the valley, Xith and Vilmos camped beneath the stars. Vilmos learned the deep valley was a harsh place without a warming sun. Soon after dusk the land lost all its warmth and the cold only worsened as the night lingered on.
Two hours before sunrise, they started their solitary march, for when the evening sun arrived Xith hoped to reach the river at the valley's center. If they crossed the river an hour or so before nightfall they could, with luck, dry their clothes by the last of the sun's rays. If they didn't reach the river in time, they would camp on the near shore and cross the river the next morning, but this would mean many wasted hours. Hours Xith told Vilmos they didn't have to spare.
Xith set a furiously fast pace. Any rest periods this day would be few and short. Vilmos couldn't be sure but it seemed the farther north they went the more eager the shaman was to quicken the pace.
The sores about his shoulders had grown scabs but still they ached with a dull pain. To Vilmos, the pain was a constant reminder of what waited ahead.
"We walk to teach a lesson, your first lesson," Xith said. Vilmos had been asking him questions ever since they crossed the river this morning and though he was growing irritated, Xith was pleased. Vilmos was genuinely interested in just about everything. "Once you begin a course of action, you must follow it through. Beside, it would be unwise to try teleport to our destination. You would learn nothing and would most likely die in the attempt."
Vilmos thought about Xith's statement for a moment and then asked, "Teleport?"
"Yes, teleport." Xith held back a chuckle, knowing a secret yearning the boy was not aware of. "True teleportation, or moving from one place to another through magic, is very powerful magic. You must understand that. Teleportation is a special kind of incantation that draws heavily upon the threads of the universe, and one must know exactly where they are going in order to succeed. To fail is to bring about your own demise."
Vilmos struggled to keep up with Xith's furious pace. He was exhausted and nearly out of breath. "You don't know where we are going?"
"I do, but you do not," Xith said contemplatively. "For the spell to be successful, to teleport the two of us to where we travel, you must also know precisely the point to which we go. Many magicians of the past lost themselves teleporting those whose thoughts strayed from their destination." Xith stopped for a moment to open the leather bag that he had slung over his left shoulder. "Here, eat this."
Vilmos invoked a sour face in disgust, but he was hungry. "What is it?"
"Dried fish." Xith raised a warding hand as Vilmos started to speak again, waving his hands wildly and pointing to the ground, meaning for Vilmos to stoop low.
"What's wrong?" Vilmos whispered, not moving.
"Get down!" commanded Xith using the voice.
The response automatic, Vilmos sank low and moved with Xith to the tall grasses that grew along the river's edge as the air filled with the cacophony of hooves. Vilmos hugged the grasses closely and clung to the ground for safety.
The clash of whips and voices soon became overbearing. Vilmos clasped his hands to his ears, pushing until his head began to pound. Wanting to run became the most prevalent thought in his mind, but would he be caught? What would they do to him if they caught him and where was Xith?
Hesitantly, Vilmos opened his eyes and craned his head up slightly. Wagons were still passing and behind them came many more riders. Carefully Vilmos checked the area to his left and right, his hands never shifting from his ears. Xith was nowhere in sight and now Vilmos was really feeling frightened and alone. The voices he heard seemed harsh and cruel and the cracks of their whips sent shivers down his back.
Seconds ticked by to the pace of his heartbeats. Vilmos prayed to Great Father to keep him safe.
Eventually, the sounds grew distant and as quickly as they had appeared, the men and horses disappeared. Before daring to crawl from the high grass cover, Vilmos waited until he could no longer hear the sounds of movement. Hesitantly he rose from his knees to a half stoop, and stared along the trail in the direction that the sounds had retreated.
He called out then to Xith. Xith's answer was calm. "I am with you," he said.
"Who were those men?" Vilmos asked.
"Soldiers. They are the reason we must travel swiftly."
With his eyes filled with fright, Vilmos asked, "Would they have killed me?"
"There are worse fates than death, Vilmos."
Vilmos brushed the grass and dirt from his clothing. "Where are they going? And why are they in the valley?"
"Most likely they use the valley for the same reason we do. It is safer than the forest."
"Why would such a large group fear the forest?"
Xith turned to stare at the trail of dust rising from the valley floor. "Why indeed?"
Chapter Nine
The rains followed them for several days as they journeyed south, making each day seem like the one before it. This day was no different: Dark clouds early in the morning followed by afternoon rains that at first were only a light mist and then turned to heavy sheets of icy rain as the day waned, causing the roads to turn into rivers of mud that bogged down the travelers in gooey, sticky muck.
Captain Brodst kept the group traveling onward despite the heavy downpour, yet for safety's sake slowed the great column to a crawl.
Despite a hood and cloak pulled tightly around her, Adrina was drenched through. Days of wet clothes and a wet saddle had chaffed and irritated her skin. The growing sores gave her something to dwell on other than her fears.
She turned to look back at the others through the shroud of rain. Father Jacob wore a solemn, thoughtful expression on an otherwise expressionless face. Knowing that the good priest was always like this—true feeling hidden on the interior of a hardened exterior—she wondered what feelings he secreted away.
The rain notwithstanding, Keeper Martin had his eyes wide open. He scanned the horizon ahead. His face, with upturned eyebrows and slightly furled lips, showed little complacency. Clearly he didn't like the rain or the trail conditions, yet as always he sought to maintain a clear awareness of their surroundings. Something troubled him, Adrina noted.
Besides the ever-present scowl, Captain Brodst had an otherwise expressionless countenance. For Adrina, the scowl signified order. The captain kept his companions and his subordinates in check with it—the guards, the soldiers, not even the distinguished guests, Adrina included, dared to speak their thoughts. They would endure the rain for as long as the captain ordered.
The others in the long line of garrison soldiers fore and aft, still four abreast on the muddied kingdom road, and the elite guardsmen that protectively encircled her, Adrina noted, were disheartened. The rain was bogging down their thoughts. Some of those whose faces she could see despite the murky rain were thinking of other places—perhaps home and loved ones, perhaps just the local ale house—but still it was clear they were watching the fields beyond the road carefully.
Her talent for knowing what others were thinking from their expressions, a gift perfected during numerous court sessions, ended as she turned to regard Emel. She had a hard time discerning his feelings from his expressions. This especially troubled her and attracted her to him. As she considered this, her eyes wandered toward him once more, quickly turning away down the muddied path as her gaze met his. The message in his eyes, mixed feelings—feelings she didn't like—was confusing.
A
s the rain persisted and the day grew long, Captain Brodst signaled another slackening of the pace. Afterward, he signaled Emel to fall in place beside him. Adrina followed, then after slowing her mount, she did her best to listen in.
The captain rode beside Emel and told him clearly, "Remember it will be a light camp, no tents, so find us a good thick spot in a forested canopy."
To Adrina's surprise, the captain addressed her next. "Sorry, Your Highness, we will be unable to reach an inn. I had hoped we would be able to make up some time, but the rain is slowing us to a crawl. Our file is too long to risk much faster travel."
"You considered stopping at an inn," Adrina said, more to herself than to the captain, "even after what you said before we departed Imtal?"
"Adrina!" yelled Emel, as he urged Ebony to race onward. "Catch up!"
Captain Brodst was part way into a response that was quickly drowned out as Adrina raced to catch up to Emel. She was certain she was right about his constant scowl. It was his shield.
"You see, my father…" shouted Emel, looking back over his shoulder as his horse galloped through the thick mud and rain, "… the captain has a heart after all."
For a long time the two sped along the trail despite the greatly reduced visibility from the rain, diminishing daylight and their speed. Adrina had a difficult time maintaining her focus on the dim figure of Emel ahead. Soon she became completely unaware of her surroundings and watched only for the spray of mud from hastening hooves in front of her.
Emel reined Ebony in. "Even in the rain I know this section of the road like the back of my hand." He stroked Ebony Lightning. "My first apprenticeship was as a king's messenger. I know exactly where we'll find a sheltered site away from the rain."
"Then why are we racing?" Adrina asked.
"Imtal Palace Guardsmen and guests shall have the base fire. The garrison troops will have to fend for themselves. They have their own detachment and squadron commanders. It is my father's way of telling the palace guards he cares. Garrison soldiers will also see him as one who cares well for his own and perhaps there will be more than a few who at the end of this trip will wish to enlist in his service. At the end of a long journey soldiers remember the little things. Food, water and shelter are held in the highest regard. And we race for the sport of it!" Emel said, urging Ebony faster and faster.
Mud and dirty water was propelled high into the air and fell just short of Adrina as she fought to catch up with a flagging mount.
After they had rounded several bends in the road and breached several low hills, Adrina lost sight of Emel. Her heart still pounding from the race, she held her breath as she tried to discern shapes in the dim light. When she spotted a horse and rider racing off the trail, she hastened after them.
Just before he reached the edge of the woods, Emel turned Ebony about and raced back toward her. In one swift move he wheeled his mount along side Adrina's and reaching down, seized her horse's reins just above the bit, bringing the mare to a rigid stop. Not expecting this, Adrina tumbled from the horse into the mud.
Emel dismounted. "Can I help you up, Your Highness?" he asked smugly.
Adrina could see he was trying to contain the humor within from bursting into raucous laughter. Her face was red and tears came to her eyes. Mud clung to her hair, her clothes, her cloak, and frustrated hands did little to remove it. "No, I think you've done enough already. I am quite fine."
Emel tossed her an impish look and if he hadn't burst into laughter, Adrina would have cried deeply. The laughter, a much needed burst of cheer, was oddly cleansing, but short-lived.
"You fool!" She screamed, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?" She was crying now and suddenly screaming at him again. As she realized she was whining and how pathetic she sounded, she laughed and the laughter felt good.
When Emel offered her his hand in assistance, she pulled him forward, and didn't let go until he landed face first into the mud. "Why you," Emel yelled, as he grabbed the retreating foot.
A backwards slip landed her, with a muddled thud, on her backside. She squirmed to get away from him as he dragged her toward him. "Let me go! Let me go!"
Emel continued to drag her by one leg backwards through the mud as she fought to break free while the rain beat down on them in a sudden strong drove. With both hands, she scooped up a large clump of mud and threw it at Emel. It landed with a splat, squarely on target and she finally broke free of his grip. "So that's how you want to play it," Emel said, grabbing a large handful of wet muck.
Adrina returned the volley. "Serves you right!"
The mud flinging continued back and forth until they were both drenched and covered in mud from head to toe. Adrina was laughing so hard she fell backwards into the mud, adeptly tripping Emel as she went down.
As she pushed a sodden handful into his face, both burst into hearty laughter. Content to sit idle, allowing the rain to splash down upon them, the two passed a quiet moment.
"Stand up," Adrina told Emel, offering her hand to him as she stood. "We have to get all this mud off of us before the others catch up. I don't want to get you into any more trouble."
Emel looked at her, eyes agape, as if he had just remembered something that his life depended on. Warily, he accepted her offer, quickly returning to reality from the momentary reprieve. They waited in the rain just long enough for it to wash the majority of the mud from their clothing and then prepared to move under the forest canopy.
Emel said, "Grab your horse, and follow me."
Hurriedly, he led her into the large stand of nearby fir.
Quickly the rain became scarcely noticeable as they entered the thick folds of the shielded canopy, and as they moved deeper and deeper into the heart of the great fir stand the rain was soon only a pleasant sound in the distance. The world became suddenly quiet and calm.
"Gather dry pine needles and small branches for kindling. I'll get the larger branches," Emel said. He loosely tied Ebony's reins to a low branch and retrieved a hatchet from his saddlebags.
Adrina collected the kindling. When she had finished, Emel had already returned with a plentiful harvest of large branches. A tree had fallen nearby and its great boughs would be put to good use.
After a circle was cleared for the campfire, Emel assembled the wood into a neat pile with the kindling at the base and the larger branches at the top forming a huddled triangle. Flint and steel were retrieved from saddlebags and a short while later a spark from the flint stone lit the kindling. A few tender puffs spread the tiny flames and soon a gentle fire was crackling, replacing the soft sound of the distant rain.
Adrina was almost impressed by his expertise. "Pretty nimble," she said, "how much longer before the others catch up?"
"Soon," Emel said, "so hurry up and take off your clothes. We don't have much time."
Both flattered and outraged, Adrina's face flushed and then became bright red. "What do you mean?" she shouted. She slapped his face. "Why I never! What do you mean get undressed?"
Emel swallowed hard and then his face turned bright with embarrassment, a close match to Adrina's. "What I meant to say was, hurry up and get out of those wet things so we can dry them over the fire."
"Why?" demanded Adrina still upset.
"I didn't mean it the way it… I mean, what I'm trying to say is…" said a flustered Emel, "You need to dry your things before the others arrive. Otherwise, you know, it might be difficult for you to get them dry. I'll tie a line up between those two trees for you, and then you can hang your clothes to dry. I'll go watch for the others by the trail, just yell when you are finished."
After a moment of silence, Adrina laughed. Now, she understood what he was trying to say. "I'm sorry Emel," Adrina said, quickly adding, "I mean for hitting you, I'm sorry."
The fire was blazing brightly by the time Emel had tied up a secure line. He would have preferred to gather more wood as he should have done, but he didn't. The great fallen tree was close by though and it could serve as a source for man
y, many fires to take away the chill of the rainy night. "Just call out when you're done. If the others get here first I'll call out in greeting to them and you'll know they are close. I'll need to build a watch fire near the forest's edge but that will only take a moment."
The watch fire built, Emel was hesitant to leave its warmth. Returning with Ebony Lightning to unsheltered skies seemed an unpleasant proposition and he did so with quick regret. Almost immediately, cold rain drenched any part of him that had been partially dry.
An easterly wind blown from the direction of the distant sea made the rain feel that much colder. He knew, even on an evening such as this, the red glow of the watch fire from the darkened wood cutting into the darkened land could be seen from a long distance. He needn't wait here on the trail for the others, for they could have easily followed the building light to its source. However, here he felt safer, safer because he was away from the young princess and the desires of his own young heart.
Safer? Emel asked himself, immediate alarms sounding in his mind. He had just left Princess Adrina alone in the woods. He had not checked for signs of other passersby. Nor had he checked for signs of other creatures seeking shelter from the rain.
Emel mounted Ebony and charged into the thick woods, passed the watch fire, ducking low hanging branches as he went. Dark silhouettes of trees passed by in blurs as he raced for the red of the base fire. Reaching the base fire, Emel found the hollow under the canopy empty. His thoughts spun wildly and a sudden emptiness made its way into the pit of his stomach. Princess Adrina was gone.
Chapter Ten
Two long and uneventful days followed the encounter near the river, and on the eve of their fourth day in the valley Vilmos and Xith completed the crossing to the northern rim. Low bluffs on one side and gentle hills on the other replaced the high cliff walls of the southern rim. The two weary travelers found a small cave nestled in a low wall and they stopped to pass the night. The cave was just as dreary as Vilmos had always imagined a cave would be—damp and dark, offering nothing that appealed to his senses. He almost would have rather slept outside on the hard ground.
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