Taking Flight

by Lawrence Watt-Evans

  Irith persisted, and at last Asha said, "I'm just tired."

  "Maybe we've been hurrying too much," Kelder suggested. "Asha, would it help if you could ride?"

  Irith glared at him for a second, then turned back to Asha and asked, "Do you want me to be a horse for a while?"

  "No!" Asha exclaimed, so loudly that she startled every­body, including herself; even Ezdral twitched at the sound. "No," she repeated more quietly. "That's all right, Irith, Don't be a horse."

  "What are they saying?" Azraya asked Kelder.

  "Irith was asking Asha if she wanted to ride," Kelder re­plied.

  Azraya looked at Kelder, puzzled. "Ride what?" she asked.

  Kelder realized that the Ethsharite was unaware of Irith's magical abilities. "I'll explain later," he said.

  "Can you walk again?" Irith asked Asha.

  "Not yet," Asha said. "Let's just rest a little while."

  Kelder relayed the suggestion to Azraya, who made a noise of displeasure. "I was hoping we could cross three kingdoms today," she said.

  "I don't think so," Kelder told her.

  "That's stupid," Azraya said. "Why do you travel with these people, anyway, Kelder?"

  Irith glared at her.

  "Asha doesn't have any family," he explained. "We hap­pened to be there when her older brother got killed, so we're sort of taking care of her for now. And Irith accidentally en­chanted Ezdral, so we're trying to find someone to break the spell."

  "He's enchanted?"

  "A love spell," Kelder said. "That's why he follows Irith."

  "Oh," Azraya said. "So why is that your problem?"

  "It's not," Kelder said. "I'm just trying to help out." Saying openly that he wanted to be a champion of the lost and for­lorn seemed somehow ridiculous. Fortunately, Azraya did not press for further explanation.

  Upon investigation the question of whether to press on turned out to be academic; Ezdral was unconscious.

  "Now what?" Azraya asked.

  Kelder sighed. "Now we wait here, eat some lunch—I have cheese in my pack—and when we can bring him around we go on."

  This did not sit well with either Azraya or Irith, but they both gave in, with ill-concealed annoyance. No one was about to try carrying Ezdral. Kelder suggested that even uncon­scious, he could be draped over Irith's back while she was in equine form, but she rejected the idea.

  "He'll slip off," she said in Ethsharitic, "and besides, I don't want him on top of me. I don't care what form I'm in, or whether he's conscious, I don't want him on top of me."

  This reference to changing forms led to Azraya asking questions about Irith's magic, which Kelder tried to answer as he shared out the cheese and wafers he had bought in Krithimion. Irith was clearly annoyed by this discussion of her past, but did nothing to stop it; she was settled cross-legged on the grass by the roadside, with Asha curled up on her lap, and any attempt to shout back or stomp off would have disturbed the child.

  While they ate, they chatted idly—or tried to. Asha's igno­rance of Ethsharitic, and Azraya's ignorance of Trader's Tongue, made conversation difficult. Irith grew steadily more aggravated by the constant demands either that she translate for someone or that she wait while Kelder did so.

  Later on, after the last crumb was gone, the three teenagers made a concerted effort to rouse Ezdral, but without success.

  "May demons eat his guts out!" Irith said, following this up with comments in several languages Kelder did not under­stand.

  Azraya just laughed.

  That was the last straw for Irith.

  "I'll meet you in Syndisha," she said, spreading wings, "if you ever get there!" She flapped and took off.

  Azraya stared in open-mouthed astonishment as Irith flew away to the south. "She really does fly!" she said.

  "Yes, of course," Kelder said. "I told you she did."

  Azraya looked at him with an unreadable expression, then back at Irith.

  When the Flyer was out of sight, Azraya said, "Let me try the Sot again." She began not merely shaking Ezdral, but slapping him, hard, first on one cheek, then the other.

  "I wish Irith wouldn't fly off like that," Asha said, looking away uncomfortably.

  "Me, too," Kelder agreed, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders.

  Azraya gave up her attempt and stamped away, annoyed— not down the highway, but across the cornfield on one side. Kelder watched her go, wondering when she would be back—if ever. She was just as temperamental as Irith, though in a different way, and there was no prophecy assuring him that he would see her again.

  Which was too bad; he did like Azraya, despite her temper.

  Asha snuggled against him, and he looked down at her. Her blue tunic, the only garment she had, was wearing very thin—he wondered if Irith or Ezdral or Azraya could sew, an art he had never entirely mastered himself. They could buy fabric in Syndisha, though it would take a distressingly large portion of their money.

  "Why didn't you want to ride?" he asked her.

  She looked up at him. "Because I can't stand the way Ezdral looks at Irith when she's a horse," she said. "It makes me feel awful."

  Kelder nodded.

  "I can understand that," he said.

  Together, they sat and waited.

  Chapter 30

  Azraya came back within a few minutes, and her next attempt to rouse Ezdral, a few minutes later, was suc­cessful. The four of them were on their way again shortly thereafter, and the sun was still only slightly past its zenith.

  There were blue-uniformed guards at the Syndishan bor­der, and without Irith along the party had no one they recog­nized; Kelder and Azraya had to make something called a "customs declaration," informing a scribe of all the magical articles they carried (none), how much gold they had (none), what livestock they were bringing into the kingdom (none), and whether they intended to settle down or were just passing through.

  Ezdral was only semiconscious, so the officials informed Kelder that he was speaking for the Sot as well as himself. Asha being under age twelve, Azraya was arbitrarily chosen as her guardian and declared responsible for her actions as long as they were in Syndisha.

  Azraya was not at all pleased about this, but tolerated it un­til one of the soldiers approached too closely. Then, suddenly, her belt knife was in her hand and she barked, "Don't touch me!"

  The soldier in question spoke no Ethsharitic, but he got the message. After that, the officials quickly finished up and sent the party on its way.

  They reached Syndisha Castle a little over an hour later, and as promised, Irith was waiting for them.

  The castle was immense, incorporating the entire town; it was built in four concentric rings. Kelder could see that much, and Irith confirmed it, while admitting that she might have missed additional inner layers.

  The outermost ring was a broad field between two stone walls that served as the public market, where farmers wheeled wagons of produce about, crying their wares, and various groups stood about, discussing various business.

  The next ring was the town itself, a single circular street lined with inns and shops, with alleys branching off here and there and a single broad cross-street that led from the market gate across to the inner gate.

  Irith said that the next layer in was where the wealthier townsfolk lived, and the king's keep stood within that, but Kelder never saw those for himself except for glimpses through the gate.

  "Why did they build it like this?" Kelder wondered aloud.

  "Seems like good sense to me," Azraya said.

  "Seems excessive to me," Kelder returned. "It must have been expensive."

  Irith shrugged. "This part of the Small Kingdoms has the smallest and nastiest kingdoms of them all," she said. "I mean, there's just one stupid little war after another, and it seems as if half the princes go out and build castles and de­clare themselves kings. Maybe the Syndishans got thinking about that and got a little carried away."

  Attempts to locate a wizard turned u
p three warlocks, four witches, and a theurgist, but no wizards. Since Irith's magic was purely wizardry, that meant no chance of finding a coun­tercharm in Syndisha.

  On Irith's recommendation, they took lodgings at an inn called the Broken Blade—and took two rooms. "If this Azraya person is going to stay with us," Irith said, "we have to. I mean, five people in one room is just too many!"

  It didn't seem all that excessive to Kelder, who had seen farmhands at harvest sleeping fifteen or twenty to a room, but he didn't argue. Asha and Ezdral were in no shape to go any farther, so the entire party was definitely staying the night in Syndisha, and he wanted to keep things peaceful. Besides, dividing up three and two could mean that he would share a room with Irith.

  It could, but it didn't.

  Kelder was never quite sure just how the decision was made, but somehow the question never even came up; Irith, Asha, and Azraya took one room, and he and Ezdral got the other.

  This did not suit him much—particularly since the dividing wall was thin enough that he could hear Irith and Azraya ar­guing, and later, when they had quieted and Ezdral was out cold, he found himself fantasizing that Irith might slip into the room in the middle of the night . . .

  Or Azraya, for that matter, though he didn't really think she would.

  Ezdral had gotten hold of oushka at dinner—he had had money somehow and had bought a bottle from the innkeeper. Kelder had tried to talk him out of it, but Ezdral was a free man and would do as he pleased, the lad had no authority over him.

  Kelder had looked to Irith for support, knowing Ezdral would do whatever she told him, but she said, "Oh, let him drink it."

  It was not a good night at all.

  The next day's journey to Tuyoa wasn't any better; Asha and Ezdral seemed to be taking turns collapsing. Asha's falls were minor, and she recovered quickly, but Ezdral seemed to be deteriorating as Kelder watched. He stumbled all the time now, and his hands shook constantly. He spoke little and mumbled when he did. It took the entire day to get the five of them the twelve miles from Syndisha to Tuyoa.

  This time it was Azraya who got fed up and marched on ahead, and Kelder feared he had seen the last of the short-tempered little Ethsharite, but when they reached Tuyoa she was leaning against the wall of a smithy, watching the village children chase a ball down the street.

  Again, they took two rooms at an inn of Irith's choosing, and again divided the accommodations by sex. Kelder mentioned the sorry state of Asha's garb to Irith, who suggested they wait until they reached Ethshar.

  "You can find some really good bargains there," she said. "You'd be surprised."

  They had found no wizards in Syndisha, and they found none in Tuyoa. When they inquired, they were directed to two personable young men who turned out to be witches rather than wizards.

  "I mean no offense," Irith said, turning away, "but it's not the same."

  The following day was better; they reached Shesta Keep by noon and Castle Lamum well before dark. The road was veer­ing westward again, toward the boundary between the Small Kingdoms and the Hegemony of Ethshar, and the landscape was changing from gently rolling hills to flat plain.

  Lamum was blessed with two wizards, a sorcerer, and a warlock, but one of the wizards knew no counter for Fendel's Infatuous Love Spell, and the other was in the middle of a three-day ritual and could not be disturbed.

  "Should we wait?" Irith asked.

  Kelder looked at Ezdral, asleep on a bench in the town square, and said, "I don't think we should."

  "It's two days to Ethshar yet," Irith said, "and long days, very long. Maybe we should rest here and see before we walk that far. Maybe it's the walking that's wearing Ezdral out."

  Kelder considered that.

  "I think we should wait," Asha said. "Walking is wearing me out."

  Kelder looked for Azraya, but she was off window-shopping at a nearby bakery, out of earshot. "All right," he said, "we'll wait here, Ezdral and Asha and I—and Irith, you fly ahead, why don't you, and see what you can find, and then come back here."

  "Fly to Ethshar, you mean?" she asked, startled.

  "Well, yes, why not?"

  "I don't know," she said. "Let me think about it."

  She thought about it and decided she didn't like the idea. "It's a long way," she said, "and we'll get there soon enough.

  What if I fly to some of the other kingdoms around here, in­stead? There's Thurion, to the north, and Porona to the east, and Thrullimion to the south."

  Kelder had to admit that that was a perfectly sound idea, and so it was agreed. Irith would stay the night in Lamum and in the morning would start visiting the neighboring kingdoms, while the others waited.

  At least, it was agreed among four of them. Asha wanted to rest; Ezdral did whatever Irith wanted; Irith and Kelder had arrived at this arrangement. Azraya, however, had other ideas.

  "What, just sit here and fester?" she demanded.

  "Or find work, if you like," Kelder answered mildly. "We don't have very much money left."

  "Ha!" Azraya stamped off.

  She made no mention of her plans that night, but in the morning she came down to the inn's breakfast with her shoulderbag packed, glaring belligerently at the others.

  "You're going on without us?" Kelder asked, as they fin­ished eating.

  "You're damned right I am," she snarled.

  "I wish you wouldn't," Kelder said, "but if you're going, good luck."

  She stared at him for a moment, as if challenging him to say more, then said, "Good-bye, Kelder."

  "Is there somewhere we can find you, when we get to Ethshar?" he called to her, as she turned toward the door.

  She hesitated, then paused in the doorway and turned back. "If you really do ever get there," she said, "and if you really do want to find me, and it's not too late, come to the northeast corner of Shiphaven Market each morning. I've decided to take another try at finding a berth as a sailor, and that's the best place to look."

  "Thank you," Kelder said, "I'll do that."

  She almost smiled, then thought better of it. She turned and marched out.

  "Well," Irith said when the door had closed, "we're well rid of her!"

  "Oh, I don't know," Asha replied, "I sort of liked her." Irith glared at the child, while Kelder said nothing, and Ezdral, as usual, simply stared blankly at Irith.

  Chapter 31

  There were no wizards in Thurion, simply by hap­penstance, and Klathoa, being ruled by witches, had outlawed all other forms of magic. In Ikala the three wizards had all learned their arts from the same master, who had disapproved of love spells on principle—an attitude that Kelder could ap­preciate, when Irith reported it.

  That was the first day.

  The King of Porona did not like his two wizards talking to foreigners, and Irith had to slip in through a window in bird shape in order to discover that neither of them knew a counter for Fendel's Infatuous Love Spell. The only wizard in Thrullimion was not home, and did not return home, although Irith waited most of the afternoon and well into the evening before giving up and making a moonlight flight back to Lamum.

  That was the second day, and that evening Thellesh the Wondrous completed his ritual and began reading through the messages his apprentice had collected while he was occupied. When Irith awoke the next morning—which was rather late, since she had not gotten in until almost midnight—she found a message waiting for her in the innkeeper's care.

  "It was delivered by a walking table," the innkeeper said, speaking in an awestruck whisper. Irith and Kelder looked at each other, not sure whether to believe this; then Irith un­folded the note and read it aloud.

  Thellesh did not know the particular countercharm she was looking for, but would be delighted of a chance to discuss the matter with her.

  Irith sent a reply, paying a girl from the village two bits to deliver it, thanking the wizard politely. Then she and Kelder and Asha sat down to consider.

  They stayed one more day, resting; I
rith paid a visit to Perelia, two kingdoms to the south, on the coast of the Gulf of the East, and found half a dozen wizards, all of them busy with something. One said he might have the counterspell, but would need to research it, which would cost three pieces in gold—he was not interested in trade of any sort, nor did he care who or what Irith was, that was his price.

  Irith indignantly rejected it.

  Two more were too busy to speak with her at all; two ad­mitted they'd never heard of that particular spell; and the last one was incoherent, so that Irith was unable to figure out if she even spoke a recognizable language.

  She was back in Lamum in time for supper, and they all went to bed early.

  As Kelder had requested, the innkeeper roused them all an hour before dawn; they dressed, breakfasted, and packed, and by the time the sun had cleared the eastern horizon they were walking down the slight slope from Castle Lamum, toward the border post where soldiers in red kilts passed them into the Hegemony of Ethshar.

  From there, they set out across the plain, into Ethshar.

  The landscape was remarkably dull, Kelder thought—for mile after mile they walked between endless fields of wheat and corn, all of it still fresh and green. Tidy little farmhouses broke the monotony here and there, all of them whitewashed stone roofed with thatch. Noplace else along the Great High­way was so intensely cultivated; in fact, noplace Kelder had ever seen in his life was so thoroughly farmed. There were no side roads, no rocky patches, no trees or bushes, just fields, and small yards around the houses.

  And it went on seemingly forever. The highway marched them onward to the southwest, sometimes straight enough to make a line to the horizon, sometimes curving gently and vanishing into the endless greenery ahead of them.

  This was, beyond question, a vast plain; the prophecy was satisfied on that point.

  The three-day rest in Lamum had them all in fairly high spirits, but Ezdral and Asha still moved more slowly than Kelder liked; the day wore on, and although they walked steadily, the landscape did not change. The only visible indi­cation that they were making any progress was that Castle Lamum gradually shrank behind them and eventually van­ished below the horizon. Other, faster travelers occasionally passed them going westward; none came from the west.