Life Legacy

by Vlad ben Avorham

  Galan just held his hand up. “Easy. I’m just checking to see if you’re getting settled in ok.”

  “Yes, M’lord, everything is quite fine.” Angvar said formally.

  Galan laughed. “And if it wasn’t, I’d be the last person you would complain to.” he held his hand up to stop the protests. “I’m assuming your father gave you an ass chewing similar enough to the one I received from the duke.” He watched as Angvar nodded, watching him warily. “Well, I’m not here to make this hard on you. Oh, you’ve got a job to do, and I expect it done, because it needs to be done. I just don’t want you to think I am punishing you.”

  Galan shrugged before continuing. “You weren’t intentionally committing treason and both you and I know it. Yeah, Papa knows it too. We were both drunker than we should have been in public, and you were making more progress than I was comfortable with,” he sighed at the admission, “with a girl I’ve dreamed about my whole life.”

  Galan shook his head in embarrassment. “You blew your shot, by the way, which makes this easier for me. Of course at the same time, I all but blew mine too. The only reason I’m not in the same spot as you is that she has known me all of her life.” He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. “Enough about the Lady Sara. She will make what decisions she and my mother cook up for her.”

  “M’lord I am deeply sorry that I did not obey your order.” Angvar said.

  Galan actually even believed that he meant it. “Well, it won’t happen again. Not after the ass chewing I got from the Duke. He said if I ever believe you or any vassal to be committing treason in truth, and I hesitate to kill them on the spot, he would disinherit me as unfit to be the next Duke.”

  Angvar looked glum, “M’lord that is pretty much exactly the message my father gave me. Traitors have no place in our family.”

  Galan grinned at him. “Glad to hear it. Now how about you call me Galan like a trusted confident rather than a servant and let’s try to pull some gain out of the mess we’ve both made of this situation?”

  Angvar grinned. “We’ll M’lord, er, Galan. Look at it this way, as punishments go a few weeks in the capital and a tour of the Elven lands isn’t a bad option.”

  Galan chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll be glad to be on the road again. I learned on our trip here that I enjoy doing things more than I like being stuck in one spot.”

  Angvar chuckled. “Beats tax collection any day of the week.”

  “Well then, while my father is back to handle the Dutchy, may he live forever, let us go see what we can of the world.”

  Koloss

  Galan was excited. Finally, they were going to get underway. He would have rather made this trip with his father than his overprotective mother, but still three days of easy travel and they would be in the capital city. He would undoubtedly attend court and who knows what else he could find. They would live there for nearly a full month.

  He carried his kit out to the courtyard to load up and nearly drew his sword from the shock of seeing it for the first time. Larger than any three horses he had ever seen, this... Words failed him. It had the sleek lines of a fine racing horse, but the clawed feet and tail of a lizard. It was tall enough that he could almost walk under its belly by only ducking a little bit, and easily six feet across its barrel-like chest. Its broad head supported a large mouth with row upon row of barbed thorn teeth. That doesn’t even include the long fangs protruding from the upper jaw like the cave lions and the large curved horn on its nose was more vicious looking.

  Pavel waved to him from the back of the great beast. “How do you like Koloss? He’s my new ride.”

  “Hell and Damnation Pavel that thing is a monster!” Galan grinned up at him. “When do I get mine?”

  “What he said.” came his father’s voice from behind him.

  Pavel shrugged. “You’ll have to talk to the ladies. I couldn’t do this on my own. Pretty impressive though isn’t it?”

  The duke had turned to look at Feylynn. “I meant it. Where’s mine?” he smiled at her.

  “We can work on one for you when we return. Pavel and Sha need it now. Besides it was all her idea, I just agreed to help out with a couple of technical issues. This might make you happy to see me return.”

  In an uncharacteristic show of public affection, the duke just pulled her close and held her for a long moment. “I wish you didn’t have to go. I understand how important it is to you and, well seeing that monster, I at least feel more comfortable with your safety on the road.” he chuckled.

  Galan was shocked to realize that it wasn’t just a big solid creature but that it had a cargo hold inside that big barrel of a body. Pavel and Sha were loading in supplies and equipment that seemed to be enough for a much larger trip. He was just about to question Pavel about it when Angvar arrived and got his first view of Koloss. Galan grinned. He sincerely hoped his face hadn’t looked like that a moment ago but suspected that it probably had. “Come Angvar, those of us who aren’t married to powerful tzadi must make do with horses like normal mortals.”

  Angvar drew up alongside him and in a low whisper, “To think when they showed up to back you in that hallway it was Pavel I feared.”

  Galan grinned. “Oh no, my sister is far more dangerous. Don’t ever let her tiny size fool you. I’ll fight Pavel any day of the week before I’d cross her.”

  Travel Travails

  The longest journey starts with the first step

  Pavel took point. Koloss was much faster than the slower walking horses. With Sha inside riding in the hastily strung hammock, he imagined that he must look tiny up on such a great beast. They had offered Feylynn the option to ride with Sha, but she wanted her coach. She said that while riding Koloss was impressive; it wasn’t dignified enough for a Dutchess. Pavel thought that the Duke might have different ideas.

  It was a cold morning and while well insulated with his armor and cloak, Pavel still looked forward to their first stop. Barron and Baroness Jayen and Jan had been granted a small keep only about a day’s easy ride from Duke Mirron’s residence. Still with things being what they are, and winter travel to consider he hadn’t seen his parents since the now infamous winter faire night. He hadn’t even gotten much time to spend with them them either. Da had spent most of the time with the Duke’s minister of trade. Mamma had spent some time with them, but she and Sha had gotten all caught up in Catrin’s news and updates about Echal. He was really looking forward to seeing what Da thought about Koloss.

  He was so deep in these thoughts that he had missed the earlier signs. Sure enough, now in sight he could see a small troop of the king’s calvary approaching. Upon seeing him, the cavalry unit moves into formation, blocking the road and a lone rider approaches closer. Once he is within shouting distance, Pavel can hear “Ho, stranger. What manner of beast is this?”

  “I am Pavel Smith, Guardian of Tzadi Shadrea Andola of the Mists. You will stand aside.” Pavel called down to the man.

  Sha from inside sighed. “Are you picking a fight because you’re bored?”

  Pavel chuckled. “Nah. It won’t come to that. If it does, we’ll just charge through them and see if they can keep up with us. Let them chase us right to Da’s door and give him a good story to tell his friends.”

  The little cavalry officer shouts back up, “Dismount that we may confirm your story.”

  “So now I am a liar? Little man, go get your commander. Have him approach to something less than shouting distance or if your fear grips you so strongly, run away. I will not waste much more of my day on you.” Pavel quietly ordered Koloss ahead slowly.

  Moments later a man in high polish armor approaches. The young smith’s son who lived in Pavel’s memory was impressed. The armor was good work and screamed of wealth and power. The older more mature Guardian saw the haughty sneer on his face and contempt in his eye and wanted desperately to twist him just for sport. Ah, well let fate decide Pavel thought. “I have introduced myself, to whom and I speaking?”

  From
below, Pavel could hear Sha. “Whom? I didn’t know you knew that word much less how to use it.”

  Pavel fights a smile that threatens to break out on his face. He will never need worry about becoming too full of himself as long as he has Sha. The little man’s face becomes red and his eyes twitch. “I am Colonel Sir Allard Jeffers of His Majesties 3rd Calvary and you sir, will step down and give an accounting for what it is you are doing here.”

  That almost did it, but Pavel was generally an agreeable sort, even if a bit gruff at times. “I am scouting for the Dutchess Mirron’s party, who are traveling to the capital. You can wait patiently with me here and I will introduce you so that you can play honor guard, or you can show yourself to be a threat to them and I’ll have to resolve that. You’ve already shown your willingness to interfere in the affairs of the tzadi, will you also disrupt the Dutchess’s trip?”

  The colonel was livid. He wasn’t used to anyone resisting. When you had a full troop of the King’s Calvary backing your orders, people obeyed. Who was this clown to be conjuring tzadi and duchesses out of thin air? So without thinking on it too much, Colonel Jeffers made his decision to bring down this threat to his command.

  He spun and rode off to his men at a high rate of speed. Pavel watched him go amused. “Sha, strap in m’love things are probably going to get bumpy.” he chuckled. Sure enough, as soon as the man reached his lines he wheeled, and they charged. Pavel charged too.

  The oncoming lancers had their lances lowered and were charging in as if they were trying to rout out entrenched infantry. Infantry doesn’t charging back at them nor does it suddenly jump in the air a few feet in front of the lances and with the help of a levitation spell, sail at head height over the formation dismounting dozens of men, before landing gracefully on the other side.

  Pavel set off at a comfortable run. Long before he reached his father’s keep, he would need to slow if he didn’t want to actually lose them.

  Boys will be boys

  Feylynn started to notice an inordinate amount of cavalry men dismounted by the roadside. Either their mounts had bolted, or they were too injured to sit the saddle properly. Oh, lightly injured in each case, but enough that risking taking a tumble from the saddle and doing serious injury to themselves was foolish.

  By the time her count reached thirty men, she called for Galan. “What is going on?”

  Galan grinned from ear to ear. “Pavel is getting all the fun. It seems their commander insulted Pavel, and he decided to test Koloss. You should have seen the looks on their faces when they recognized the Duke’s arms on the carriage door. Seems Pavel tried to tell them he was our advanced scout, but the Colonel in charge didn’t want to believe him. So Pavel has been playing.”

  Despite her better judgment, Feylynn got out and started helping the wounded. Oh, they didn’t stop so much as just slow way down and pick up the walking wounded as well. She did not see the humor in it that Galan did. Still she supposed there was value in testing their equipment, and as she questioned the troops, she was patching up they generally agreed that it was their Colonel’s choice to attack. Still this meant she would not be able to visit with Jan as long as she would have liked. They weren’t going to make it to the keep before nearly sun down.

  The healed soldiers were lined up on either side of the carriage giving a foot honor guard as most had lost their horses. Angvar was beside himself that he missed all the excitement. Still, this was amusing. If this was any indication of how the trip was going to go, it would be a real adventure.

  They approached the keep’s portcullis Feylynn noted that there were only about thirty or forty men left to the unfortunate colonel. She simply pulled up and waited for the gate to be lifted, and then they drove in without a single word to the milling troops. Galan couldn’t help but grin as he saw what had to be the infamous colonel looking quite sick as he recognized the arms of Duke Mirron emblazoned on the carriage’s doors.

  Once in side and the gate lowered back in place, Feylynn found herself angry with Pavel and Sha. She knew Pavel wouldn’t have let it go this far if Sha hadn’t willingly gone along. This was just chaos for chaos’s sake. She didn’t feel any better about it when she saw Jayan standing there to greet them and laughing and joking about it with Galan and Angvar.

  “Your Excellency, our children seem to have been misbehaving and caused quite a bit of trouble. I would have been here sooner but I’ve spent the last four hours collecting and caring for wounded soldiers littered all about the countryside!” Her usual formal reserve was starting to fray around the edges and the irritation was starting to show.

  Jayen’s smile faded as he had seen this look on Jan’s face many a time and recognized a woman pushed nearly too far. “Um, your Grace, our children have been teaching a most ill-mannered officer in the King’s calvary an important lesson. Maybe they went a little too far with it, but let’s get you inside. I think a warm brandy with Jan in front of her fire might be just the thing after your long trek.” He kissed her hand and gently guided her toward the main door to the keep. Once her attention was shifted that direction, he caught Pavel’s eye and with a jerk of his head indicated the troops still milling in front of the gates. The obvious unstated command was, you broke it, now you fix it. As he escorted the duchess into the keep.

  Galan grinned at Pavel. “Come on, I’ve had some recent experience with patching up misunderstandings.” Angvar laughed right on cue. “Let’s go see if we can salvage something with the Colonel.”

  Angvar clapped Pavel familiarly on the shoulder. “Yeah me too, I’ll help him to see how much better crow tastes than the shit sandwich he’s made for himself.”

  Dinner

  Esta had been listening to mamma complain to Jan about the antics of Pavel and Sha. It was kinda funny but mamma wasn’t amused. Jan was a little better because she hadn’t been in the cold and wet for the last six hours. Still, they both seemed worried that their children would so casually court disaster by picking a fight with a full troop of experienced calvary. As Esta saw it the calvary troops were lucky, it wasn’t actually a fight.

  She was still surprised when dinner was called and the Colonel and two of his Lieutenants were at the table mumbling shame faced apologies and thanks for the loan of the stables for billeting for the night.

  Pavel waved his hand. “Ah, that’s nothing, no reason for the men to suffer needlessly in the cold. You irked me and so I goaded you. Our admittedly petty dispute is no reason they should suffer. Besides...”

  Feylynn cut him off. “Not suffer? Tell that to the young men I spent the afternoon patching up!”

  Pavel started to say something, but the colonel was faster. “Your Grace, please let me express again my gratitude for your care of my men. Their injuries, however, were just part of their duty. Do not blame your son-in-law for those. He gave my men some of the best most realistic and challenging training exercises we’ve had since the war ended, and no one died. While I will confess to not seeing it this way a few short hours ago, your young Sir Angvar has a remarkable way of putting things into perspective.”

  Sha flashed a surprised look at Angvar but he and Galan only had a slightly ironic smile to show. Make of that what you will, she thought.

  Esta kind of lost track of the conversation by then. The food was being served and Aunt Jan’s cook was the best. She noticed that the young blond lieutenant kept smiling at her. She still wasn’t quite sure she was ready to deal with all the headaches that boys bring, especially after all of Sara’s adventures on Winter Faire’s eve, but someone like him might not be too bad. He seemed nice. It was a shame Pavel had to be so hard on them all.

  Voivoed’s Rest

  Departure

  It was early when they found themselves gathered again in the courtyard. Esta was glad of her Elven blood that didn’t require much in the way of sleep. Unlike the humans all of whom seemed drained and worn thin. Ok, not Pavel or Jayen as they were both like little kids playing with a new toy. Though she suppo
sed for them Koloss very much was like a toy. Lt. Daniels looked tired as he went about his work but whenever he noticed her looking his way, his smile did not seem tired at all. She felt her cheeks getting flush again as she realized she was staring at him again. She pulled back into the coach’s darkened interior drawing the curtains and focusing in on the magical training exercises her mother and Sha had taught her. Surely magic should be enough for a girl, and the warm smiles of cavalry officers should be the farthest thing from her mind. Yet she found her concentration ruined, and the temptation to just peek past the curtain was too great. She was actually glad when Feylynn joined her in the wagon and the journey began again.

  Travel was bumpy and uncomfortable. The worst though was the hours of tedium. Esta was just in the middle of a daydream about a long ride in the countryside with a certain calvary officer when she heard cheering outside. She pulled back the curtain and saw the village they were traveling through was lined with the townspeople. The outriders that the colonel had sent ahead of them had passed stories of Koloss and in village after village it was like a series of tiny parades. It became so entertaining that she hardly realized the time had passed as they pulled in to an inn in a modest-sized town where they had planned to stop for the evening.

  Esta’s feet had barely made contact with the ground before she noticed a sharp dressed young noble approaching her mother.

  “Your Grace, please. The Count my father, requests you do us the honor of staying at Estrella-fosca. The manor house will be more comfortable than the inn, and it is less than an hour’s ride. We will easily be able to make it before sunset.” The young man was not wearing armor, but he was armed and well dressed. Esta supposed he could pass for cute in a bit of a scruffy way. The problem was the beard. He was trying to wear a beard before his body was ready to grow a proper one. Instead, there were just these lightly furred patches that were more of a mockery of a beard than a beard. Still Esta supposed it also made him more approachable. She decided that overall she liked the effect, and she wondered to herself when that became an issue.