by Ed Gentry
"Agreed," she said.
Under the baking southern sun, the army stopped briefly to eat and rest. Adeenya followed Jhoqo and Taennen through the marching lines to where the prisoners were being guarded in a single-file line. A thin but strong rope bound their arms and formed a chain between each prisoner as they gnawed at waybread. The dozen or so humans and the halfling were at the front of the line, kept separate from the goblins and kobolds.
Behind them were the formians. Their flesh was dark but shone faintly iridescent in the bright sunlight. The formians were bound with double ropes-extra caution seemed prudent given their mysterious nature. The largest creature, the one who had felled Taennen, stood at the center of the others. The smaller formians seemed to surround the largest, as if protecting it. The cloths over their eyes did not seem to diminish their ability to be aware of one another as they flicked their antennae over the offered waybread. The Maquar guards kept several paces away from the formians, their crossbows trained on the creatures. Jhoqo signaled one of the guards to remove the gag from the largest creature's mouth.
"Go ahead, ask your questions. Anything you learn will be for your ears only," Jhoqo said. "And keep your voice down."
Adeenya moved close to the largest creature. "Who are you?" she asked.
The creature turned its head toward her, and Adeenya felt as though dozens of eyes were watching her even though she was looking only at the dark cloth encircling its head. After a long moment, the beast spoke in a voice that sounded like twenty voices speaking through a hollow log, all jumbled together and with gravel in their throats. It proceeded to say a word so long, so incomprehensibly full of syllables, that Adeenya was reminded of a magic spell she had heard before.
She fought off a shiver and picked the only syllable from the garbled mess that could be made out. "Would it be all right to call you Guk?"
The formian twitched for a moment, the tiny appendages on either side of its maw clacking as it said, "Yes."
Adeenya straightened herself and asked, "Are you… male or female?"
What Adeenya could only assume was a laugh, the sound of bird cries turned inside out and piled atop one another, burst from the creature and set her gooseflesh tingling.
"Male," Guk said.
"Why did you attack us?" she asked, wishing now she'd never demanded to interrogate the strange creature. "For work, for the hive," Guk said. "The hive?" "My people."
"What does attacking us get your people?" she asked. "Workers," Guk said.
"Slaves," Taennen interjected, stepping closer to Guk.
"The other creatures with you were workers?" she asked, glancing at Jhoqo. The commander's face was unreadable.
"All creatures should work for the hive," the formian said. "All creatures will."
"No one should be your slaves," Taennen said.
"Why?" Adeenya asked the formian. "Why should everyone work for your hive?"
"There is work," Guk replied. "There is always work. The work needs to be done."
"But what if we do not want to work for the hive?" she said.
"The work must be done. You will work. Every creature will work. No work is chaos. Chaos cannot be allowed. You will work."
Adeenya stepped away from the prisoners and took in a deep breath. The formians sort of devoted thought was dangerous. The world had experienced such zealous devotion before, and the results were never positive or pleasant.
"Do you see, now?" Jhoqo said, joining her.
"Aye, sir. We'll keep this from the troops," she said. She did not enjoy admitting the man was right, but the formians dedication had certainly put her on guard.
A melodious but melancholy voice called out ahead of them. "Let me go!"
Adeenya turned to see a grim-faced halfling covered from head to toe in leather and furs waving his bound arms as best he could. He was standing at the back of the line of humans just in front of the goblins.
"My name's Corbrinn Tartevarr, miss. A little help?" he said.
Adeenya looked to Jhoqo who nodded for her to respond. The three officers moved closer to the human prisoners. Adeenya was relieved to leave the presence of the formians.
"I am Adeenya Jamaluddat, commander of the Durpari troops on this expedition. How do you find yourself fallen in with these creatures?" she asked, nodding toward Guk.
"He was a worker and will be again. Like you will become," Guk said from farther back in the line, his voice grating, like thrown ice shattering against a wall. Adeenya wondered if the blindfold inhibited the creature at all.
"Get that gag back on him," she shouted to the guards.
Corbrinn sighed. "What he said, I'm afraid. Well, at least that I was," the halfling said with a sneer toward the formian. "I'm from Thruldar in Luiren. I remember being with a caravan of folks from Var the Golden. I'm a woodsman and often act as a scout in these parts. I was guiding the caravan back from a successful trading trip to
Mulhorand. After that, everything gets a little fuzzy, but I know I was working for these things."
The sun glinted off the halfling's reddish blond curls. Adeenya boggled at how the halfling was not sweating himself dry in his many layers of clothing and furs.
"Why did you work for them?" she asked.
The halfling's eyes went to the ground for a moment before turning to rest upon her again. "It wasn't really like that. The reason didn't seem to matter… just the work." The halfling shrugged. "I can't explain it. It was like my body just did what they needed to be done, and I couldn't really stop it or even ask why I was doing it. But, I think the strangest part was that it was… somehow satisfying."
"Sir," she said, turning to Jhoqo, "we should let the humans and the halfling go, at least. They shouldn't be bound so close to those things. They might try to reassert their control over them again."
Taennen stiffened. "Sir, we can't allow that. No one should…" he said, unable to finish his thought.
Jhoqo did not speak as he moved away, waving for the two to follow him. Adeenya followed, already knowing the man would say no. She did not know Jhoqo well, but he was not difficult to read at that moment. He wore his displeasure like a heavy cloak.
"Urir, these people did nothing wrong of their own will," she said. "Surely we must-"
Jhoqo stopped her with a raised hand. To her relief his scowl turned to a look of exhaustion, and he seemed to deflate with a long sigh. "Surely you see why I can't let them go yet? You worry about them falling back under the control of the formians? What if they are still under the control of those…"-his face curled in distaste-"things? How do we know how far that manipulation extends? We could set them loose only for them to come back and attack us to free their masters."
Adeenya sighed. Jhoqo was right.
"And even if they're not being controlled, even if they are the freest of spirits, look where we are," Jhoqo said, extending his arm in a wide arc. "This is the wilds, my children. Aerilpar. There's none worse."
Adeenya followed the man's gesture to the distant tree line. While small compared to the Lluirwood to the west, the Aerilpar Forest was home to dozens of clans of foul beasts that fought each other for power nearly as often as they fought the humans who tried to cleanse the woods of them.
Huge, ancient trees with twisted, gnarled limbs rose tall from the sparse grass all around them. Green and brown foliage dotted the edge of the woods, a sign of the heat. A branch of the Liontongue River far to the east fed the trees and allowed the forest to exist at all.
Taennen nodded. "Anyone we freed would be killed instantly."
"Or recruited," Jhoqo said.
"You're right," Adeenya said reluctantly. "We'll figure out how to deal with the humans once we arrive at Neversfall."
Jhoqo smiled. "Good. I'll leave it in your hands. Both of you," he said. "Now, I think it's time we got moving."
The Maquar commander offered a salute that Adeenya returned before he turned and walked away. The horns were blown to signal the soldiers' rest was done,
and the trek to Neversfall would begin again.
Taennen walked beside her, stealing glances back at the big formian. His face revealed neither anger nor fear. He was curious. Adeenya recalled his earlier outburst and wondered what really had happened to Taennen on the battlefield.
"Thank you for backing my play, Durir," she said. "I appreciate the information."
"It seemed like the right thing to do, sir," he said. "Not that we learned anything."
"You're trying. It's more than some would do."
Taennen nodded. "My father always said-" he started but stopped when shouts erupted from behind them.
Adeenya spun to see a goblin's arm hit the ground. The creature shrieked in pain as its life's fluid pumped from the stump at its shoulder to splash into the dirt.
"Stand down!" Taennen shouted to a Maquar soldier with a bloody falchion in his hand. The man stood at attention, and the entire squad of guards and prisoners came to a halt. One of the small formians showed a trickle of blood on its abdomen, and another of the Maquar guards had his sword drawn and bloodied.
"What in all the One happened?" Taennen yelled, looking to the guard nearest the oozing beast.
"Sir! This one," he said, pointing to the bleeding formian, "suddenly moved and pushed the goblin out of marching file."
"And the goblin died for that?" Adeenya asked. When Taennen looked at her askance, she nodded and stepped back. These were his troops; this would go smoother if she did not interfere. Trying to command someone else's troops was like wearing a stranger's boots. The fit just wasn't there and never would be.
The Maquar with the sword answered, "I thought it was trying to flee, sir. I didn't see that thing push it."
Taennen sighed. "Get the prisoners ready to move again and be sure to secure the bindings. Remember, stay with a comrade when dealing with them. Watch your partner closely, make sure they're acting like… themselves," he said. He turned to the soldier wiping blood off his sword. "Take someone with you and bury that body, anhal," he added, pointing to the goblin's corpse. "Be quick about it and catch up to the line."
The man nodded and scooped the creature's remains into his arms.
"And someone get some attention for the wounded one," Adeenya said, motioning to the small formian.
"Go!" Taennen said when the soldiers did not move. One of them ran for a cleric.
Adeenya began to turn away, but Guk caught her eye. The formians face was impossible to read, so new and strange were its features, but there was something in the way it turned blindly towards her that seemed full of intent. To do what, she could not guess, but it was there. Guk turned away, facing forward as the army began to march again. The guards unwound new rope and set about securing the creatures even more carefully.
Adeenya motioned for Taennen to walk with her. "The large one…"
He nodded. "I saw it, too, Orir."
They continued walking beside the ranks. After a few moments she spoke again. "You were saying something about your father, Durir?"
Taennen gave her a puzzled look and then nodded. "Yes. My father always said a man's intentions don't make him good-acting on them does."
Adeenya nodded, finding wisdom in the adage. "Sounds like a wise man."
Taennen sighed. "A fool and a criminal, I'm afraid, but everyone is due their moments of wisdom, I suppose."
"A criminal? Sounds like my father," she said with a laugh which she cut short when she saw the look on her companions face. "Really… a criminal?"
The man nodded, and she regretted her comment. "My apologies," she said.
"Mine's just a merchant like everyone else's."
Taennen chuckled. "Your family is one of the major chakas of Durpar. Everyone knows what they do."
Adeenya nodded and shrugged. Everyone knew of her family, but few actually knew them. Those who did rarely showed the kind of admiration she could see on Taennen's face.
"How did you end up working as a mercenary with a family legacy like yours?" Taennen said. "If I may ask, Orir."
She smiled. "I'm trading services instead of goods. What's the difference? At least this way I had to rely on myself and no one else to get where I am," she said. "I prefer it that way."
Taennen looked at her and tilted his head to one side. "Truly?"
"When your father is a famous-infamous, really- merchant, you don't see much of him. When you do, there's a lot…"
"To live up to?" Taennen asked.
She nodded and gave a half-smile. "And to live down."
"Still… I'd love that life," he said.
"Maybe," she said. They were approaching the front of the lines. Jhoqo would need to be informed of the goblin's death.
"I meant no offense, Orir. I've just always dreamed of having an honest man as my father. Someone who held the Adama close to his heart and lived his life with it every day," Taennen said.
She nodded. "I understand."
Taennen smiled and said, "My father always said that phrase meant only one of two things: either the person didn't understand, or they didn't want to talk about it anymore."
"He was quotable, wasn't he?" Adeenya said with a smile. "Yes, sir."
"You speak of him as a wise man, yet condemn him as a criminal," she said.
Taennen shrugged. "Wisdom does not equal prudence. That's another of his."
"I'm sorry, Durir. That was much too personal of me," she said.
"No harm done, sir," Taennen said. His pace slowed, and she matched him. She lifted her waterskin to her lips and took a long drink. She offered the skin to Taennen, who declined.
"He was a tinkerer, I guess you could say. He made magical items for folks, mostly things to make life a little easier," Taennen said.
"Sounds like an honest living," Adeenya said.
"Aye, sir. It is, so long as you don't use your talents to provide aid to criminals," he said.
Adeenya waited a moment before leaning in toward him to prompt more details. She didn't need to.
"There was this woman from Var," he continued. "I remember she smelled of sage and lemons, and her clothing was spotless. Even her servant dressed better than I have in my entire life-silks and brocades and exotic fur trim. She came in to pick up her order-a pair of ruby earrings that my father had enchanted to help the wearer hear better. The woman tested the pieces and offered my father her praise and a bonus for the excellent work. I was always heartbright of him, but seeing this regal woman compliment him… I nearly swelled to bursting for him."
"That must have been a wonderful feeling," Adeenya said.
Taennen smiled wryly. "Yes, it was. Father asked the woman if her elderly mother, for whom the earrings had been made, could come by his shop sometime as he would like to make sure they were working well for her," Taennen said. "I remember her laugh. It was like… like that twitching sound a hare makes when it eats, only louder. She said she would be sure to stop by her mother's grave and ask the woman to come to his store. When father asked what she meant, the woman laughed harder and asked if he had really believed that story. When he said he had, the woman called him stupid, and even her servant sneered. She said a fool had never helped her beat her rivals in trade negotiations before, and she hoped he was honored to be the first."
"Eavesdropping? She wanted the earrings to help her eavesdrop on trade competitors?" Adeenya asked. "What did he do?"
"He asked for them back, to reverse the sale, but she refused and left. He didn't even try to stop her. Didn't even go after her," Taennen said.
"And the authorities?" Adeenya said.
"He never informed them," Taennen said, shifting his gaze to the distant tree line.
"Why? They would have believed him. There are trade dispute panels convened for situations like this," she said.
"I asked him to report her. Begged him, actually," Taennen said. "But he said we were too poor to lose the coin she had paid him. So he kept it. I knew it bothered him. It really showed. He aged several years in the few days after that inc
ident." "He felt guilty."
Taennen nodded. "But not enough to do the right thing."
"That must have been hard, growing up with a father you knew had done something illegal."
Taennen turned to look at her and she saw a buried anger there. "I didn't. I was raised by the Maquar after that. By not reporting the crime, he committed one."
"I don't understand."
"I reported him a tenday after it happened," Taennen said.
"You had him arrested?"
"One day I realized I couldn't live that way, and so I went to the local magistrate. A Maquar there on other business took my father into custody and offered me a place in the Maquar ranks," Taennen said.
Adeenya studied the young man. She'd had disputes with her father frequently, but betraying him, even if he had done something wrong… such extreme adherence to the law, such pragmatism, was unnatural. Taennen watched her. She schooled her face against her thoughts. "The Maquar was Jhoqo," she said.
"Yes. I left with him that day to train as a Maquar. Over the years we became close and he watched my progress. When I was ready for assignment, he made sure I wound up in his unit," Taennen said with a smile. He seemed lighter and brighter when talking about his surrogate father than he had when talking about his birth father.
"What happened to your father?"
Taennen's smile fell, and he turned away from her. "He was sentenced to hard labor for a year. I hear he lives in Kolapur now."
They walked in silence for a long time. The sun was well past its zenith, and they would camp soon.
Adeenya could think of nothing to say to Taennen, her mind reeling from his revelation. Betraying his father seemed such a cold thing to do, but the man walking beside her was warm and kind. She knew him very little, but she saw that much for certain.
She wondered how a such a simple incident had left him so single-minded in his dedication to truth. What had that cost him throughout his life? Certainly he had missed out on having his real father around, but it also must have made the rest of his life difficult. Life was full of situations that were best handled with restraint, flexibility, and openness. Had he developed those traits since his youth? Zealotry was dangerous, and Adeenya could not afford to take any chances. The question she needed to ask would cost her the bond she was forming with the man, but she was unwilling to risk not asking it.