Both men nodded. Runner's head bobbed vigorously, but Talker was more sullen. James would prefer another option, but with the way things were, he had no choice. They could not keep the men prisoner, and they could not just kill them. Hopefully a good scare would be enough, though he would actually get a message to his superiors and hope that someone could be spared to investigate. Or, at the least, send some men through the area as a show of force. That coupled with his warning might be enough to keep these two out of more trouble.
"Start walking. Our friends will be out there to make sure you do head back to where you came from," James cautioned.
The two men turned and walked back up and out of the gully. They were moving quickly and neither turned back, though Runner kept glancing nervously around as he went.
"Think they'll stay out of trouble?" Silas quietly asked.
"In the short term, any way. After a few weeks... who knows. At least we will be well out of the area before they try anything again. I would hate to have to hang them."
"Mmhhmm. Let's head back to camp. Meric and Malina will shepherd these two until they are well on their way."
James just nodded and followed Silas back out of the gully.
"Say... by any chance, was the coffee in your pack?"
James could not contain his laugh at the sight of Silas' hopeful grin.
#
It was two days past the village when Meric called a halt to the group after hearing Malina's warning. Thankfully it was just the meadowlark, signifying her return. As everyone gathered he took the proffered water skin from Alyssa and sipped from it while they waited. Enber had his map out and was talking to Westerly as they both studied it.
"What do you think, Enber? Are we in the right area?" Meric had to wait a few seconds for an answer while the Dwarf took time to think his answer over.
"I believe so. We should be almost right on top of it."
"Close. In fact, it's just another forty yards southwest from here. At least I think it is." Malina had everyone's attention as she joined them. "There are some ruins that I think could be it, though you would be the better judge."
Enber had perked up at her words and looked questioningly at Meric.
"Lead the way."
The Dwarven healer gave a sharp nod and then set off beside Malina in the direction she had indicated. A few moments later they all came to a halt at an exultant cry from Enber. It was heavily overgrown, and Meric could not actually see what had him so excited until it was pointed out. If it were not for the snow tamping down most of the growth and roughly outlining the shape of it, he might still be looking. Whatever substance the Dwarves used to treat the wood they used for building worked very well. After about two thousand years, Meric thought it should all have been totally rotted away into nothing. The building, if that is what it once was, had fallen long ago. There were, however, still some upright beams and what could have been walls all piled in a big heap that ran about twenty yards and appeared to merge with the hillside behind it. Nature had almost completely overtaken the structure, but when you looked closely, you could see it.
"I believe this is it. An old longhouse design," Enber stated eagerly and a few of the other Dwarves nodded or grunted in agreement. "That would be about right for the time, and the way it butts up to the hill... there should be a mine shaft or cave entrance there."
"Alright. Do you want some time to explore it alone?" Meric asked unsure if this would be a delicate subject.
"Ah... no Commander. That won't be necessary. While I would ask that you treat this place and anything found here with the respect due an ancestor, help would be appreciated. It will go faster that way, and besides... discoveries like this are meant to be shared."
"He is right, Meric. Our family's legacy is important to each of us separately, but also belongs to the Dwarven nation as a whole. So much history was lost from that time that any pieces we can add, even small ones, are precious," Dhuren added.
With Woodard, Melitt, Pabil and Sorma on watch while Malina was out roving, the rest of them began helping with the search of the ruins. They tried to be careful, but since they could only spare about a day, they had to be faster than any of them would have liked. They did not find much other than some broken dishes, tarnished or rusted cutlery, a few tools in the same condition and one amulet that Enber seemed very happy to find (he even promised a story about it later). It took about three hours with everyone but the watch standers helping, but they finally made it to the back of the longhouse. Meric expected to find more half-rotten wood and a collapsed entrance, but was surprised when they threw back the last piece of debris to uncover beautifully carved stonework and what looked like another Seal. Enber flashed a bittersweet smile at Meric's confused look before he answered the unspoken question.
"Don't let the longhouse fool you, Commander. It would mainly have been for storage of farming or foraging supplies and harvests, maybe as a trading post or shop. But any Dwarf you will ever meet is going lay his head under an earthen shelter if at all possible."
"That makes sense. So, is this a Seal like the rest have been?"
"Aye. A Lesser Seal. It's not much. Maybe amounts to a heavy, barred door. Lady Alissa could likely blast her way through... Brody could eventually cut through it with that Axe of his. It would keep out anyone without magic or an enchanted weapon or tool." Maikus had stepped up beside Meric as he spoke.
"Right. Well, Enber. Will you do the honors, or does Captain Maikus need to?"
"I think I can... it looks like they... there! See these," Enber pointed out some carved reliefs. "This door was meant to allow even those without the Sight to open it. If you know the sequence, or understand the runes..."
Enber had trailed off into mumbling until the end, but perked back up as he explained. The Dwarf depressed the spots he pointed out and then took a step back even as the stone door began to move. Enber hefted his mace and waited for the way to open fully. Meric was about to step forward until he felt a strong grip on his forearm. A glance next to him showed Yelic's hand was the one holding him back.
"Best you let me go next, sir. No telling what kind of surprises we're like to find in there."
Since that sounded like a fine idea, Meric stepped back as the other Dwarves lined up and prepared to enter. There were plenty of them to do the searching, so he decided to leave it to them and go back to the fire. Brody stepped up next to Meric and eyed the entrance warily.
"Well... we'll let your people do the exploring in the dark, damp, creepy cave while the rest of us set up a good camp. Have some hot food ready for when you get done." Brody dusted his hands off, apparently satisfied with his quick thinking. Before he could turn away Fastil spoke.
"That sounds like an excellent idea. However... it would probably be a good idea to have help from one of you... in case we come across something high up, or really heavy. Someone with lots of muscles. Say... you would be just what we need, Sergeant," the dwarf said and then displayed a decidedly evil grin.
"Woodard has lots of muscles," Brody replied, cautiously.
"Ah, yes. He is not much taller than me, though, and he is currently on watch. No... I think you would be the perfect choice."
Brody tried to not look despondent, but did not really pull it off. A quick glance to Meric for support was not rewarded.
"You go on and help our friends, Brody. I am sure Sergeant Woodard can handle your duties in your absence," Meric said with a smile.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Prisoners and Apprentices
"Do you know the punishment for treason? It is death, Lord Atwood. We are going to hang you. That cannot, it will not, change... What I might be able to do is ensure that your family does not suffer unduly for your actions. If you have a shred of human decency, that should count for something. However, if not, if you care for no one but yourself then there will be more of the Atwood bloodline on the gallows standing next to you. The rest of your household will be dispossessed. Left to beg for s
craps like the lowliest peasant."
The once proud Lord was chained to a chair in a brightly lit cell, and Miles paced slowly around him as he spoke. The prisoner stank of sweat and piss, and the despair and fear were plain on his face. Miles had been questioning him for an hour this go-around, and Atwood had given up several names in an effort to save his own worthless life. However, the one name that Miles needed the most eluded him.
The man he had nicknamed Gruff, who he later found out was called Tyrus, was in another cell and had been questioned as well. So far he had given them nothing. Short of using torture, there was not much else they could do. Torture was a method Miles had a complicated relationship with. Using questionable measures to get needed information was something he had done before, but it always left him feeling guilty, unclean. Where was the line, and if you crossed it even once, how did you go back? Was that even possible? Unfortunately, he did not have these answers, and had definitely lost sleep thinking about it.
"I have told you all that I know. Tyrus is the only one we have ever seen. He never mentioned whom he served, and would not even tell us where his master was from. I have nothing more to give. You have arrested all of us but him. Congratulations."
The last word was said with so much bitterness that Miles almost smiled. Indeed, even without the mysterious man, they had effectively squashed the attempted overthrow. While the unnamed individual could still cause them trouble, he would no longer have people in a position to do any real damage. They would certainly not give up on finding him, but the King could rest a little easier.
Miles shook his head in disgust as he looked at Atwood. All of that money and power handed to him on a silver platter and the man was still greedy for more. It was disturbing. Miles took a deep breath and the stench made him decide that he needed fresh air and to take a step back for now. The hallways leading out of the dungeon were fairly well lit, with torches plentiful and always burning. This made his passage out of the area a little less dreary than it could have been, and so his mood improved slightly by the time he exited. The dark clouds dissipated even more when he found an excited young Apprentice waiting for him.
"Miles!" Anna hesitated when he quirked an eyebrow at her.
"I mean, Adept Keller." She waited for his nod to continue. "Guess what? Erin's going to teach me how to fight. Well, she said defend myself, but that means fighting. Have you seen her? She's amazing! She uses two swords-"
"Calm down." Miles held his hands in her direction, and tried to hide his grin. "Told you that, did she? And did she clear that with the man who is supposedly in charge of all your training? That would be me, in case you are wondering. And she did not, in case you might also wonder about that."
Miles tried to keep the laughter in, but at the crestfallen look on her face, it burst out. The adorable glare that followed made it worse. He relented when she turned around and started to march off.
"Alright, alright, little one. I will talk to her, today even." Anna's smile returned in full force. "Wait... I thought you did not like her?"
"I never said that," Anna said matter-of-fact, but would not look Miles in the eye.
"Mmmhhhmm, and the mean looks you were giving her the other night?"
"I didn't give her no mean looks. We just had a rough start, but we talked it over and have an understanding now." Anna looked pleased with herself after she finished.
"I did not give her any mean looks." Miles waited until her frowning stare turned into an accepting nod. "And I imagine that this understanding has a lot to do with her offer of training?" Anna could only hold the look of injured disbelief for a few seconds before she was smiling again.
"I am glad you are excited, but you need to approach this like your other studies. If you think that in your first training session she is going to hand you two sharp swords and then turn you loose, you will be disappointed. She will start you off just like she had to start herself; with the basics."
The smile dimmed a little, but it did not go away completely. Miles was glad she was excited about it, and thankful that Erin had offered. He did not have the time to properly train her in self-defense, not with overseeing her arcane studies on top of his other duties. Now that the King had revealed the Gifted Order to the populace, training and studies no longer had to be done in secret, and that certainly helped. It would take some getting used to, though. Grand Master William Stanton was already restructuring the way they did training. Now that it could be done out in the open, he was taking full advantage.
Miles was just happy that he was not expected to wear the new uniform of his Order. He found no issue with the clothing itself; the colors were reasonable, and the cut allowed for ease of movement. His chosen profession, one that required some anonymity, would not allow him to wear anything that announced he was a magic user. That was just fine with him.
Miles decided there was no time like the present to talk to Lieutenant Borden, so he steered Anna past the next turn and headed toward the Lord Marshall's office. Seeing how quickly he could make Erin scowl at him was always fun.
#
Barclay had a thousand different details running through his mind as he walked down the hallway, and magic was the current one clamoring for the most attention. The revelation of magic use did not cause as much panic or chaos as he had expected. There had definitely been some, but the majority of people appeared to take it in stride. That was mostly due, or so he believed, to the way the King presented the announcement to the people. The proclamation was delivered by Roderick himself in front of as many people as could be packed into the largest market square in the city. Two of the Gifted dressed in the new uniforms that clearly indicated they worked for the crown, were standing just behind the King in formation with a squad of soldiers each. This was designed to show the masses that they were part of the same army that the civilians always relied on for safety and protection. The speech was impassioned, but there were also many facts meant to clear up most of the lies that evolved over the years about magic use. The two Gifted put on a small demonstration for the crowd, and the King discussed the benefits of having magic users there protecting them all.
Barclay believed it was the impending threat of the Orc invasion that truly allowed the people to accept it. It gave them an enemy to direct their fear at. When the threat from the Orcs was announced, many people had a hard time believing it. It was not until they had displayed the bodies of a scouting party Barclay's people had come across, that the truth began to set in. Now, the stories of the Orcs using magic to fight did not seem so ridiculous, when there was proof right in front of them that it was indeed possible. Without that magical threat, the King might not have been able to reveal the presence of the Gifted living among the people. Being forced to accept something you fear out of a need for your own protection may not be best scenario, but when life does not give you a choice, sometimes you just have to learn to live with it.
One of Barclay's problems with this new development was the need to integrate this new force into his plans. He had already had a meeting with the King and William about a permanent place in the army for Gifted soldiers, and it was an idea that Barclay could get behind. He had seen firsthand what a skilled fighter could do using the Gift as one of his weapons, and more than once having a whole company of men like Miles had crossed his mind. It would never be feasible, he knew, because the numbers would never be there. Even the fully trained Adepts they had were not all going to be involved in the fighting. Some of them were needed elsewhere, some just did not have the skills, some did not have the temperament, and some were either too young or too old. In the future that could change to a certain extent, since now the Crown could search for and recruit the Gifted out in the open. It was something to keep in mind for the future, but for now he would work with what he had.
Raised voices from around the corner ahead intruded on Barclay's internal strategy session. Even before he reached the intersection in the hallway, he recognized the calm, yet strained respons
es to some stranger's shouting. Just as he made it to the hall that lead to his destination, he met a grinning Miles and nervous Anna.
"Lord Marshall. Lovely day, is it not?"
Barclay just smirked at him and they both turned in the direction of his office to see the ones responsible for the noise standing just in front of the door to his work quarters. Lieutenant Borden was standing just in front of the door, barring the way for an older gentleman wearing the colors of house Atwood. Before Barclay could comment, Miles spoke up.
"Well, that saves me a lot of hassle and some legwork. Timothy Sanders... Atwood's Chancellor. I thought he had gone into hiding when we did not find him at Atwood's house in the city," Miles said quietly. He continued much louder, addressing the man. "Chancellor Sanders. Just the man I have been looking for."
Both the Chancellor and Borden turned. Borden's relief was almost comical, and Barclay was certain that if there were not a need for Miles to act in his professional capacity, the Adept would have laughed out loud. Sanders looked at Miles in confusion for a second, and then ignored him when he saw Barclay. They had never met, but from all Barclay had heard that was a good thing. The man was said to be as arrogant and pompous as his Lord. A rumor that turned into fact as soon as he began speaking.
"Lord Marshall, what is the meaning of this? I demand to know where-"
Barclay did not know exactly who was responsible for the abrupt silence; Borden, who grabbed Sanders' arm and twisted him around to slam his face into the wall next to the door, Miles, who stepped forward with a ball of flame floating over each hand or Anna, who had raised her hand and pointed in the man's direction. Miles provided the answer a second later.
An Adept's Duty: The Scepter of Maris: Book Two Page 18