They had left the unique features of the hogback Ridge of the Garden of the Gods behind and were heading westward and up into the steepening foothills. Behind these, the Peaks Massif loomed commandingly over the whole valley and pass, yet it remained obscured from this particular vantage point. Grass scrubland and boulder clay was now giving way to denser woodlands. Ahead of them was a large cleft in the underlying rock caused by a fault line that ran all the way to the top of the steep hill. There was a steep mass of detritus either side of the rift which they would have to walk around in order to follow a central path that was more even and uniform. River instead chose to scramble up the boulders and stones leaving behind Isa and the others in an attempted short cut. He had guessed the obvious location of the camp as he knew of the large opening in the hillside and of a small cavern which had an opening at the split. However as he reached the crest of this spur and could look over into the mouth of the cave at the base of the cleft, he was not expecting to see six horses tethered there. He looked back at Isa who smiled, and then jogged on in excitement to see who else was here. He entered the opening of the cavern to find a comfortable snug with a roaring fire, and the smell of freshly cooked food plus lots of seating made from weaved litters that had animal skins draped across. There were two men and a woman sitting on them, each one a familiar faces to River, “It is so good to see you, all of you, and what a surprise!” He ran forward to hug his sister Ishtur, and then warmly embrace his uncle Geren and Isuzu. It was Hassun’s father who replied first, “We came because we were worried about you, but also because your Uncle and I want to talk with this man that left us the message.”
River seized this opportunity, “Uncle, and Elder Isuzu, I must speak privately with you before you meet with him, and tell you something of importance to me.”
“I will engage them and hold them at the entrance whilst you talk together,” Ishtur helpfully offered.
“Thank you sister,” he called out as she walked over to the entrance, and then he turned to engage the two elders. “I wanted you to hear me alone, as I tell you both that all is well with me in the Blue Horse City, except that I am not ready to leave. I am alone when I tell you this, because I do not want you to blame Nathan Carlson for influencing my decision. It is mine alone. He came out here to see me safely returned.”
“And you are safely returned now. For this I will thank him,” spoke Geren. “But for this same reason, I cannot give you my blessing River. It would not be safe for you or for our community, if you were to return to the city again.”
“Uncle, I respect what you say here as my Elder, but I have already made up my mind. I came here purely to let Isa know that I was alright… And Elder Isuzu, I assure you that no one has yet questioned me on the whereabouts of our community; nor do they seem to care about this.”
“They may do so another time because we know that in truth, they do care and desire this knowledge. They may force you to show them.”
“They will never force me Isuzu, but if they tried I would lead them somewhere else; to the Caves of Mastway, or anywhere else they might perish, but never to our home. I swear this to you Isuzu, and to you Uncle. You must trust me. I will stay there some time longer, but I will return safe.”
Geren replied and spoke on behalf of Isuzu, “We have already given you our counsel. You cannot change our minds on this matter, but perhaps you change our heart. We accept that you have made your own decision and we will honour it, although I fear that your brother may not.”
River didn’t feel vindicated and he felt that this was an acceptable outcome. “I will speak privately with Isa but first I want to introduce you to my guest and friend Nathan Carlson.”
Nathan was just as surprised as River was to see six horses tethered outside the entrance of a large cave which was more like a cavern. Hassun still walked beside him in silence; and he wondered whether he was walking into a trap and whether there were five other men waiting to tackle him. Then he saw a young woman who was standing at the entrance with Isa. Hassun explained to Nathan who she was and pronounced the name ‘Ishtur’ to make sure that he got it correct. She was pretty but diminutive which was strange because her brothers were both quite tall. Nathan definitely found her the more attractive sibling with her beautiful long and straight hair. Ishtur’s greeting was very amicable and warm, but she asked that they stay with her until the elders had finished talking with River.
It wasn’t long before Nathan saw these Elders as River was already walking them over to him to introduce them. He noticed River introduce the Elder called Isuzu before he introduced his Uncle. Nathan wondered whether this was an indication of rank.
“Welcome Nathan Carlson, I hope you do not mind that we set up camp here, as this cave is better suited for the horses and has a unique character of its own.” -Nathan looked around taking in the camp site they had set up. He could see that the cave went very deep into the hill and had a wide entrance that illuminated it quite well. He wondered whether they had chosen a different venue through fear of a set up and being ambushed by Rangers. Isuzu continued, “Our people, the Ute lived in this settlement and venerated this ridge and this area which we called the Valley of the Miracle. Especially the rock which I am told you run and jump across. Not only is it the largest, but it is adorned with an ancient stone carving of a Griffin and the Basilisk on the highest part of its crest.”
Nathan looked at him quizzically, “The Griffin and the Basilisk, do you mean the ‘Kissing Camels’?”
“Funny that you should name it so; do you see any camels living in these lands? Once more your people demonstrate their non reality and separation from the land.”
“No, but nor have I heard of any Griffins in these parts. Anyway they are a natural formation which happens to look like two kissing camels. I have been up there and pivoted off them in jumps.”
“Next time you jump on them, perhaps you might take a moment to study them. You will not see chisel marks but there is evidence which shows them to be carved in the rock. Many centuries of wind and rain has weathered them and disguised their real forms. If you look deeper, you will see a Griffin and a Basilisk take shape. Two mythical beasts locked in an eternal struggle. Only there, they are shown at truce, evenly balanced because in truth they represent a dichotomy of reality. Two sides of the same truth which appear good or evil based on the subjective viewer's perception.”
Nathan glanced back at the ridge in the distance to examine the rock formation they were talking about, but disappointingly it was too far away and at the wrong angle for him to re-evaluate. ‘Another time’ he thought and he turned back to warmly take both Isuzu’s and Geren’s outstretched hands.
Next River formally introduced him to his older sister Ishtur, but then apologised that he needed to go and talk privately with his brother. Nathan watched the two brothers walk over beyond the horses and disappear behind the detritus. Ishtur acted the total hostess. Nathan found her engaging after the lack of any conversation from Hassun. He also had a strong feeling that the two Elders wanted to talk with him and probably try to ascertain any confidential information. Ishtur led him to the comfortable arrangement of seating which had been set up around the camp fire. She didn’t sit with him, but went instead to the second smaller fire where she was preparing some baked root vegetables, stew and a roast. It smelt really enticing to Nathan who was feeling for lunch; it had been many hours since breakfast.
River and Isa seldom argued with each other, but when they did, it made for an uncomfortable situation. Isa was not at all happy with River’s revelation that he was going back to the metropolis. He felt that he had been double crossed, and that his time and efforts had been wasted. River on the other hand was getting fed up with everybody else assuming the need to direct his own actions, and he was looking quite stressed.
Isa expressed his concerns, “I knew that day, that I had made a mistake when I left you with this man. He has a hold on you. You are seeing his world through his eyes. Your pl
ace is back home.”
“It is not as you see it, there are reasons for me to stay, and I must stay for a while,” explained River without offering a real explanation.
“What reasons?”
“They are my reasons.”
“Then I will come to the Blue Horse City with you.”
“You cannot. They will not allow it. It doesn’t work like that.”
“I am not asking you,” asserted Isa.
Ishtur had waited for her two brothers to rejoin them before she announced that lunch was ready. Everybody was quick to help themselves to a bowl of stew, and another bowl of roast vegetables and some roast rabbit. Nobody took more than they needed. Eating lunch communally together seemed to help clear the air which had been polluted by the air of tension and unresolved argument brought in by the two brothers. It also helped when Ishtur went to sit down with her own lunch in between her brothers. She gave each one a small hug and a kiss, and the rest of the company could palpably feel the lowering of tension in the air.
After lunch the unresolved argument was put on ice for the duration and the spirit of camaraderie took over. River wanted to make the most of this opportunity to catch up with news and stories from home. He had missed everyone, but he now had much to impart to them about his experiences in the citadel. Hassun, Isa and Ishtur listened with enthusiastic interest. Nathan at the other side of the fire held court with both Isuzu and Geren all engaged in a debate about the nature of freedom and technology. The only crossover between the two groups came when Hassun offered a smoking pipe to Nathan to sample and pass along. Nathan declined with repugnance, “No thank you Hassun, I really don’t care for smoking at all. Those are toxins you are taking into your body.” Hassun passed the pipe on to his father instead. Nathan though, not wanting to offend his hosts, asked Geren, “I would gladly take a cup of that honey tea you are drinking.
Geren warned Nathan, “This is honey and mushroom tea. It may be too strong and not to your liking.”
“I have drunk it before, River made it for me,” Nathan was recalling the honey tea that River made for him previously in the cave.
Geren had already gone over to pour a fresh brew into a cup which he offered to Nathan, along with a further question about what they had been discussing, “In much of what you discuss, there is a strong emphasis placed on the need for control. Your Rangers have abducted or killed many natives from other communities in the name of control. So why do they see us as out of control?”
“I guess it is because of Agenda 21 and the Treaty of Georgia which set the blueprint for a reorganisation of civilisation. It was universally ratified, and following that they introduced the enforced management of natural environmental resources. We had to restrict human contact with the environment to allow it time to recoup and restore its balance. Most importantly the treaty placed strict population quotas within designated cities.”
“We know of this total limit of half a billion people in the world. We agree that it is a sensible number to share the Earth’s resources,” said Isuzu.
“Well that number is enforced by limiting the population to under two million for the two hundred and fifty metropolises in the world. Those who live outside of them threaten to breach the population cap.”
“So why don’t you allow independent communities such as ours to make up a percentage ratio of the world’s population,” Geren earnestly enquired.
“That won’t happen because you are seen to be outside of the reins of control. You do not license or control your births and so are in danger of breeding uncontrollably. You use environmental resources at will, and you spurn the technological advances which we see as the saviour of humanity. Some of your harsher critics within the Councils of Elect who govern the metropolis do not see you in a good light. To be honest and frank with you on this subject, some of them refer to you as vermin. Obviously this is not my understanding.”
Isuzu replied to this “We respect your candour and your honesty Major. I do wonder though if you yourself could come to appreciate that we who live natural born do probably manage our own populations and resources in a more balanced way than those in the Metropolises. There are many among us that see you city dwellers as out of control automatons who have corrupt values and emotions. We feel that you corrupt and dilute the potency of the upcoming changes, and that you are devoid of the necessary spirituality to transfigure into the upcoming spiritual realm.”
“More superstition I think, this time dressed up as some kind of shamanistic understanding. Believe me; I have already received the whole package from River. I am sorry but I just don’t buy this animistic nonsense,” Nathan paused to make sure that he wasn’t offending his audience. “The reality of this symbiotic relationship between you and nature is that you live in a harsh unforgiving environment that controls your population by starvation and by supplying unknown trials and tribulations. City Dwellers live in an easy world where all is managed and predetermined. We supplant nature with technology. We integrate technology and genetic alterations to work with the human body and enhance the human experience. We have improved intellect, mental abilities, access to information and physical abilities through bionic implants and other enhancements. We believe that we are approaching the crest of civilization, and that we are at the transhumanist dawn of computer sentience, which we intend to harness and integrate into the human condition. We have been in the process of overcoming and solving the problems that afflict humanity since the advent of quantum computing. To me your spirituality is just another religion, and I see religions as superstition,” Nathan felt a sense of completion. He had been trying to express this point of view for the last couple of days but this time he felt that he had made some succinct points.
Geren and Isuzu looked like they were studying his words with deep reflection. Nathan expected a long speech about chakras or some such in reply, but Geren’s reply was short and succinct. “Your words are very candid and very interesting to us,” -Again he was speaking on behalf of Isuzu- “We too, believe that we are at dawn of a new age. In this new age the spiritual will supersede the physical. This world is animistic and the spirit of the creator is all encompassing,” Geren tended to make much shorter statements than Isuzu. Nathan wondered whether Isuzu might now speak to conclude the point but instead he seemed content with Geren’s summing up. However Isuzu did offer more honey and mushroom tea which Nathan gratefully accepted.
Nathan felt good. In fact he felt better than he had felt in years. He had enjoyed the food and was now enjoying the company. Although he didn’t agree with most of their beliefs, he definitely did feel a certain kinship or shared appreciation of nature and the environment. This is why he loved natural free-running as opposed to the more popular urban equivalent. As there debate seemed to have concluded, He excused himself from present company and went for a walk alone outside of the entrance to the cavern. What he encountered first was a blinding sun even though it lay considerably lower in the sky. His eyes adjusted and he began to notice certain details for the first time. He was amazed at the sheer beauty and complexity of everything around him. The texture of rocks and the surrounding foliage looked both beautiful and fascinating. The horse whinnied and caught his attention, and he mesmerised by the beauty and strength of these animals to which he felt an attachment. However most interesting to him was the all pervading pattern that he could see seemingly embossed on everything. The pattern was particularly clear on the soil, and he stooped down to examine it closer. However the closer he got to it, the complexity of the pattern exponentially doubled until it seemed to become something quite independent yet seemingly running through the core of everything. Nathan realised that he was experiencing some kind of distorted perception and reasoning, but he didn’t mind; he felt quite comfortable and almost on the verge of understanding something which for the moment eluded him. He was aware of presence of River, at first standing beside him, and then squatting down beside him. River had put his arm around his shoulder in a
warm comforting gesture and asked him how he was feeling. Nathan replied that he felt fine, but River now asked him what he wanted to do next.
Next? Nathan thought about this question. ‘NEXT’, he still concentrated on this query for a moment and then delivered his considered answer, “Next, I think I want to ride one of those horses!”
River looked at him and smiled with an expression of understanding mixed with mirth. His long penetrating stare made Nathan feel like he was being risk assessed, but then River nodded acknowledgement and grabbed a pair of light weight saddles which he took over and harnessed to two of the horses. When he was done, he beckoned Nathan over and helped him up into the saddle.
He had never been on a horse before and this experience was strange for him. There were no controls, just a living breathing animal of which he could sense the power underneath him. He instinctively grabbed hold of the reins with one hand and patted and rubbed the horse’s neck to reassure it. The horse threw back its head as if to get a measure of who had climbed on its back and Nathan and could feel the horse sweating as he rubbed its neck but there was also a feeling of synergy in which the horse seemed to be accepting and acclimatising to him.
His horse pulled forward and started walking briskly ahead following the lead hose being ridden by River. Nathan found that he instinctively knew what to do from a sporting perspective. He was also closely watching River and copying his movements and technique. He dug his heels into the stirrups and pivoted on them bending at the knee sitting forward in the saddle. This acted as a synchronised suspension that compensated the horse’s forceful body movements, as she increased in speed in pursuit of River’s horse. The fresh warm air blew in his face and he realised that he could control the horse’s movements through tapping his knees or feet and by the reins. He encouraged the horse to break into a canter and then into a gallop as he brought it up aside River. River smiled broadly at him and Nathan laughed in response. This was exhilarating; He had never realised riding a horse might be so much fun, and right now he felt really alive.
BEYOND THE PALE: ( The Outlander ) Page 14