Another horseman emerged from the thick fog and rode up behind them. The furthest horses parted quickly, allowing him to approach the Botans. He splashed his large horse through the muddy water up to the Captain, splashing mud on him. Handers recognized him immediately. It was the man from the black carriage that offered them help.
“These men are my guests on this property! Why have you attacked?” The man shouted with authority.
The Botan captain pushed his men out of the way and approached the man on the horse. “All Zo are guests in this land! We are acting under order to search and seize any Zo traveling off main roads in this jurisdiction. You would be wise to do as we instruct.”
“Who's orders?” The horseman asked.
The Captain laughed. “We don't answer questions of the Zo.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“I know what you are.” The captain answered with indignation.
The Zoen man on the horse signaled his men to move in.
“You are trespassing and will now be escorted off the property of the Manea Trading Guild.”
The Captain's eyes widened. He stammered, “Wha.. Ah... Lord Valance? I'm so sorry. I wasn't aware.”
He turned to his men and yelled, “Stand Down! Stand Down.”
Lord Valance put his hand up to signal his men to lower their crossbows.
“Again, who gave you your orders?” Valance demanded. “I would hate to think you were here of your own accord.”
“We're under the command of the Holy Cleric's Private Guard. They'll verify.” The Captain squirmed as he answered.
“Let’s hope they do.” Valance grunted as he dropped down off his horse and splashed towards the little island where Handers was still being held up in the vines.
“Put this man down immediately.” He demanded.
“Of course.” The Captain hurried behind Valance and grabbed one of the large vines holding Handers. Immediately the cocoon holding Handers lowered to the ground. The vines loosened but were still so intertwined the shell around him remained intact.
Valance knelt down beside him.
“I'm sorry for your troubles Mr. Handers. It pains me to see any Zo treated this way.”
He opened his palm near the vines causing those close to his hand to blacken, wither and drop away.
The Captain turned to the soldier next him. “Release the prisoners.”
The vines slithered back, unraveling Handers completely. Valance reached down and helped him to his feet.
“Thank you.” Handers whispered, his lungs still not fully recovered.
“Once more I'm here to offer you assistance. This time I insist.” Valance said with a smile.
Handers glanced over at Rinacht who stared back at him with a look of disgust.
“What? He didn't offer clean sheets or a bath.” Hander said with a laugh interrupted with a cough.
He turned back to Lord Valance. “I accept. We are humbly in your debt.”
“We'll keep some men here to salvage what they can from your wagon and see to your wounded animals. In the meantime, I suggest we move quickly least we find ourselves out numbered. I’ll have someone look over your injuries as soon as we’re out of this area. Can you ride?”
Handers nodded.
-
Raj’s heart jumped with excitement. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, just visible through the fog a line stretched across the horizon. It looked like grass and smaller shrubbery. Dry land! The edge of the swamp! He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed it until he saw it in front of him. The freedom to run away if he needed.
Sure enough, it was only a few moments before the hoofs of the horse he and Rinacht were riding splashed water and mud up onto the dry earth. Their horse snorted as it struggled to climbed up the steep embankment, forcing Hander and Rinacht to grab onto the saddle to keep from sliding off.
The Botann soldiers glided effortlessly through the water in front of their armed horsemen escort. Lord Valance had felt it necessary for everyone’s security to require the Botann soldiers to accompany them to Shishkameen.
Raj had no idea this kind of thing happened. They’d been on peaceful terms with the Botan for 50 years. People came and went across the borders without any problems that he was aware of.
Yet out here, without anyone else watching, they could be attacked and almost killed by Botan soldiers? And then take the same soldiers prisoner? Seemed like acts of war to him.
“Please tell me this is the end of the swamp!” Rinacht proclaimed with excitement.
“What? I thought you liked rocks and mud.” Raj said with a smile.
Rinacht's rigid stone like skin furrowed into a scowl. “Funny.”
Raj turned back to the front. Faintly, through the trees he could see a patterned arrangement of shapes.
“Uh oh.” Rinacht said.
Handers strained to make out a few wagons and carriages, then what looked like rows of tents weaving in and out between the trees.
“More company.” Raj said quietly, fear creeping back into his voice.
There were several rows of wagons. All angled to form a semi circle. And the tents filled in the center. He could even see smoke billowing up from several camp fires and Zo men in uniform rushing around. At least they were Zo.
“No, my friends, this is our logging for the evening.”
“You know them?” Hander’s asked.
Lord Valance laughed. “They work for me. We're establishing a new trade route along this side of the swamp to service the local growers.”
Handers let out a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted right now was trouble. A bed and a hot meal sounded like heaven. So much so he didn’t dare let himself get too excited. Not until they were actually sitting in front of a fire with food in hand.
“What do you do, Lord Valance, if you don't mind my asking?” He asked timidly.
“I grow Manea.” Valance answered with a smile.
-
Handers carried a tin plate of food with his freshly bandage arm over to a small table and sat down on a cot. They’d been given a tent for the evening, small but clean and private. Two cots, a table with an oil lamp and a few boxes.
“Should be comfortable enough.” Handers said plainly as he tested the firmness of his cot.
“Enough? As opposed to what?” Rinacht asked. “Lying in the mud under the trees? It'll be more than comfortable."
Handers pushed on his cot, testing the firmness, then gave it a good bounce. It let out a low creak as it absorbed his weight.
“What's wrong with the muddy ground?” He asked.
Rinacht rolled his eyes as he pushed a big spoonful of food in his mouth.
Handers pushed himself to his feet and carried his plate over to the folded entry flap of the tent.
“I'm gonna go ask Valance how far we are from the Shishkameen. And you know... see how nice his tent is.”
“Have a delightful time.” Rinacht said with a wave and a fake smile.
-
Handers wandered past several orderly rows of tents and stopped as a group of uniformed men carried an open crate of equipment past him. The equipment looked strange, nothing he recognized. What had Lord Valence said he was doing here? He tried to remember. Ah yes, something about a new trade route. Manea. So they were here to build a road? Shouldn’t they be cutting down trees and hauling in dirt? But then, what did he know?
None of the tents looked any bigger than any of the others. Nothing to indicate where Lord Valance might be. Perhaps there was more of the camp on the other side of the ring of wagons that formed a perimeter around them. He turned down the next row headed for the outer circle of carts, carriages and wagons. They were pushed in together tightly except for a few places where they had left a large gap, as a sort of gate way through the ring. But the gateways were crowded, and he didn’t want to have to explain where he was trying to go and what he was doing in the camp in the first place. Best to keep low, he thought.
Fortunately, the area was just as empty on this side as it was on the other. Carts and wagons formed a second ring a couple of yards beyond the first, creating an alley way in between. Peaking through the second row, there was nothing but trees beyond. No more camp, as he had supposed. Perhaps this alley between the two rings would lead to something else.
The closest gateway wasn’t too far off to the left, so he decided to wander down the alley in the opposite direction. After a few minutes, the two rings began to converge causing the alley to narrow and then end abruptly. There were several large black carriages at the very end where the rows converged, much like the one he saw Valence riding in when they first ran into him in the swamp. These were perhaps his? Would he be camped near them? Possibly, he thought.
As he moved closer, he noticed one of the carriages rock slightly as though it were bumped. Then a moment later it rocked again. Either someone was knocking into it from the other side, or someone was inside.
“That’s strange.” He muttered, approaching it cautiously.
He heard foot falls behind him, causing him to whipped around, instinctively, just in time to see two large Zo guards rushing towards him. He ducked and turned to run, but it was too late. One grabbed him by the neck and pulled him straight, the other lifted him by the arms and slammed him up against one of the black carriages.
“What are you doing here?” One of the guards demanded.
Handers gasped for air, the soldier’s firm grip choking him. “Looking... for... Val...lance.” He tried to answer.
“You're looking in the wrong place.”
The guard eyed him suspiciously. “What business do you have with Lord Valance?”
“He… invited us… to the camp.” Hander squeezed out.
The guard eyed him for another moment as though trying to decide what to do, then dropped him. “We’ll verify.” The other twisted his arms behind his back and pushed him forward. They steered him in between the black carriages at the end of the alley.
Sure enough there was another small section of the camp on the other side. He’d have been happy with himself for guessing correctly if it wasn’t for the pain and embarrassment. They passed several large tents, each one easily five times as large as his own. Eventually, they stopped at the back of an even larger tent sitting in the center of this second camp.
Another large Zo man stood guard by a closed flap of the tent.
“We have a visitor.” The Zo, twisting Hander’s arm, said to the guard by the tent. He nodded and disappeared inside. A moment later the tent flap flung open.
“What the problem?” Lord Valance shouted as he stepped out.
“Oh.” He dropped his angry demeanor as soon as he saw Handers.
“OK, Let him go! Let him go.” Valance put his hands and Hander’s shoulders.
“We caught him back by the carriages.” The Zo that had been holding his arm said before releasing his grip.
Lord Valance raised an eyebrow at Handers.
“I was looking for your tent.” Handers explained. “I wasn't aware there were areas off limits.”
“My apologies.” Lord Valance lifted the tent flap and motioned for Handers to join him inside. “I'm afraid they have a tendency to over react.”
Handers rubbed his wrists as he followed him.
“I hope they weren't too rough with you.” Valance said.
“Nothing’s broken,” Handers grumbled.
“We do have some sensitive cargo, but nothing worth the assault. I apologize, again.”
The interior of the tent was impressive. Finely woven fabric hung from poles around the exterior to create walls of silk. A lounge chair and a couch sat opposite a large desk that Valance was moving towards. A Thickly woven carpet warmed the entire space.
“This is incredible.” Handers admitted.
“Thank you. I spend a lot of time traveling.” Valance said.
Handers turned his attention from the fabric walls to beautiful dark mahogany desk that Valance had just sat behind. He motioned for Raj to join him.
Raj smiled and wandered over to leather arm chair across from the desk. Before he sat something caught his eye, giving him pause. On the top of the desk, he noticed an old leather bound book. On the cover was the familiar image of the Token.
He realized immediately that he had just paused in the middle of sitting down and was staring at the book. Valance shot a glance back and forth between Raj and the book with a strange look of curiosity. Raj cursed himself silently and prayed he hadn’t revealed anything too important.
Its was the same book that Bedic had, he was sure of it.
“What can I do for you Mr. Handers.” Valance asked with an odd smile.
“I wanted to ask you about the trip ahead.” Handers said. “I was just curious how far out we are from Shishkameen?”
“Sure. We're four days out with the Caravan. I apologize for the slow down. That's the price of security.”
“That's a beautiful book.” Handers said. He couldn’t stop staring at it, so he might as well bring it up, he thought. “I'm a bit of an antiques collector myself. Do you mind if I ask where you found it?”
“I just picked it up from an old friend, actually. Are you familiar with it?” Valance asked.
“Not this book in particular. My grandparents passed down a lot of family heirlooms. Kind of got me started collecting.”
“I'm a bit of a collector myself. In fact, I pay quite handsomely for items in a particular vein of interest.” Valance lifted up the book and turned it to showcase the illustration of the Token on the cover.
“Sorry, I don't have any religious antiques.” Handers said.
“Who said it was religious?” Valance smiled.
"Oh. Just a guess." Handers answered, alarmed that he might have given even more away than intended. He couldn’t figure out why Valance had this book or what implications that might have. It was a subject that clearly warranted caution. Caution that he had probably already blown. He’d have to try to explain his interest in the book in a way that didn’t relate to the Token. The last thing he wanted was to answer any direct questions about that.
"You're right actually. Valance said. “This is a symbol of the Reds. An old one, though. Probably hasn't been used for 500 years. Have you studied the Reds much Mr Handers? I'd ask you if you were a believer, but that would be too personal to be polite."
"I've studied a little, but I certainly wouldn't consider myself a man of faith. You?"
"You might say that I have an interest in the Reds, yes.” Valance said, then leaned forward, putting his folded arms on the desk, as though he were about to whisper a secret. “It has been my observation that nothing in the natural world is permanent. All things come and go. There is an Ebb and flow, a rise and a fall. Birth and death, winter and spring. Even in the kingdoms of men, one rises to power, but then another rises to take that power. It is a constant cycle, nothing lasting, nothing permanent.
"But the Reds. They are constant. They are power unending, life unending, the antithesis to the ebb and flow of nature."
Handers was unconformable. This was turning into the exact conversation he needed to avoid. “I guess its a little out of my area of expertise. Most of what I've inherited is associated with the family clan OSO. Shields, crests, things like that.”
“Don’t discount them to quickly. You’d be surprised what you might learn from a family heirloom. There could be a wealth of information right under your fingertips.” Valance said.
“Interesting. Maybe you could take a look when we get back. Lend us your expert opinion. Can't say what I'd be willing to part with though. Family history and all.”
“Yes,
perhaps I will pay you a visit once you're back safe with your boy.” Lord Valance put the book down. “I'm sorry I'm not able to get you to the Old Capitol faster. If I thought it was safe I'd put you on my fastest horse and send you on ahead.”
Valance stood up and circled around the desk towards Handers. “Do you know where you're going once you get to the city?
“I have a few ideas.” Handers answered.
“It's a very large city. I might be able to help.” Valance offered.
Handers nodded then stood himself. “Help would be most appreciated.”
-
Handers pushed through the flaps and stepped into his own tent.
Rinacht was laying on his cot, attention fixed on a book he was reading.
“Let me guess. Rinacht said without looking up from his book. “His tent is immaculate. You demanded that they upgrade our quarters, and we're moving to an officers tent?”
“No.” Handers answered quietly as he sat down on his own cot.
Rinacht looked over. “What? No witty retort?”
Handers sat staring at the ground.
“What's wrong?” Rinacht asked as he put his book down and sat up.
“I think we're in trouble.” Handers said, making eye contact.
Rinacht thew his arms up in exasperation and laid back down on the cot. “You know, you're possibly the most optimistic person I've ever met. You radiate sunshine and happiness. It's almost blinding.”
Handers stared back without response.
“This man pulled us out of the swamp twice, saved us from a band of barbarians, and offered us safe and secure passage for the remainder of our journey.” Rinacht almost shouted. “What else do you want? Angles from heaven?”
“I don't think it was a coincident that he found us in the swamp. That he happened to be passing through at the same time. I think he was looking for us.” Handers said.
Red Leaves and the Living Token Page 11