Haven Keep (Book 1)

by R. David Bell

  “Tostig,” Kaiden called. “How is Coen?”

  “He’s in bad shape. We need to get him to camp. I hope that moving him doesn’t kill him.”

  Kaiden glanced back up at the cave just to make sure the vyr was not following, then lumbered down to Tostig. “I could go for help, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to stay anywhere near here. We’ll have to move him.” Kaiden took off his cloak. “Give me your spear.”

  Kaiden wrapped his cloak first around Tostig’s spear and then his own, constructing a crude stretcher. “We can carry him on this.”

  “You’re not carrying anything with that arm,” Thad said. “Tostig and I will do it.”

  “Okay,” Kaiden agreed, “but we need to get going now.”

  Tostig took hold of Kaiden’s wounded arm. “Let me look at that first.”

  “It can wait,” Kaiden argued. “We need to be leaving.” He accentuated his words with a glance up the hill at the cave.

  Tostig assented.

  The four men made a strange procession down the icy slope. The wind blew fiercely, pushing at their backs. Kaiden felt it was trying to blow them off the mountain. Coen moaned each time they climbed over a rock or around a tree. Tostig had bandaged him as best he could for now. He would need stitches and rest. Lots of both.

  Kaiden felt queasy. He didn’t think he’d lost much blood, he shouldn’t feel so light headed. It was a fight to keep pace. He pushed through the snow, one foot in front of the other. He needed to sit down. He knew if he did, he would not get up again. The cold wind tore at his body, freezing him to the bone. This temperature was unbearable without his cloak. Just a little further. He could make it. Not far now. He was starting to get dizzy. What direction were they headed?

  Finally they rounded a bend and camp came into view. Kaiden staggered behind the others. Bo stayed at his side, making sure he kept up. With each step he felt he was going to fall. He stumbled over his own feet. Not too much farther now. Just past a few dead trees and that large rock and he would be within camp. His breathing became labored. He lost his footing, but caught hold of a dead branch protruding from a fallen tree. It kept him from falling on his face. He staggered forward into the camp.

  Walking was easier within the camp. Someone had spent a good part of the day clearing the snow away from the more traveled areas.

  Kaiden stumbled along, down one of the paths, following the other men.

  A group gathered around Tostig and Thad as they walked. Questions fired at them from all directions.

  “What happened?”

  “Is he alright?”

  “Was it the creature?”

  At least they are leaving me alone, thought Kaiden.

  Kaiden followed Tostig to one of the tents. Someone pushed aside a flap so they could go in. Kaiden stood at the doorway in a haze, not knowing what to do.

  “Are you coming in Kaiden?”

  Kaiden looked around the camp. Is somebody talking to me? There was a man leading a large black horse. “Von?”

  “What did you say?” Kaiden didn’t recognize the voice.

  “Get him in here now. He has lost too much blood. I think he has hypothermia.”

  “Kaiden.”

  Kaiden turned around to see who was grabbing his arm. It was Thad.

  “Come inside Kaiden. Your wound needs attention.” Thad pulled him into the tent.

  “Wait, I just saw Von.”

  “Who’s Von?”

  “My friend. He’s like a brother to me.”

  Thad wore a concerned look. “You need to rest Kaiden. There is no Von here.”

  “I saw him.”

  “Tostig, he’s delirious.”

  “Lay him down over there.” What a pretty voice.

  Thad led Kaiden to a bed. Kaiden laid down, but didn’t know why he was doing it. A pretty lady that matched the voice leaned over Kaiden and put her hand on his forehead.

  “He needs warmth,” she said. “Bring some heated blankets.” She tore at his shirt sleeve. “Bring me something to clean this before it festers.”

  “Von? Where’s Von?” Why didn’t Von come in here? “Anora? Where’s Von?”

  “Everything is going to be okay,” the pretty voice said. “You are safe here. Just try to relax.”

  “Anora?”

  “My name is Elizbet. You can call me Bet.” Kaiden looked up at her. She had a lovely oval face framed by light brown locks of hair. Her eyes were a deep bluish grey. Everything about her was remarkable.

  “I know I saw Von. Where is he?”

  “There is no one by that name here,” Bet said. Why did she sound so concerned? “Thad, hold him down, I need to sew him up.”

  Kaiden heard someone moaning. Was that Coen? It had to be. No one else had a voice like that. Why was Coen moaning?

  “Drink this,” Bet said. She put a cup to Kaiden’s mouth.

  Kaiden coughed. What kind of foul concoction was she trying to poison him with? He felt tired. He just wanted to close his eyes. Someone was jabbing him in his arm. Just leave me alone so I can sleep. Kaiden drifted into unconsciousness.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Kaiden was in a haze. This was the second time in just a few days he had awakened in strange surroundings. He was wearing nothing but his underclothes and they were wet with sweat. So were his sheets. His arm hurt. His whole body hurt. He felt a sharp pain when he tried to move arm. The pain brought recollection. The beast. A vyr. It must have been.

  Voices brought Kaiden into greater consciousness.

  “It was monstrous I tell you. Some kind of demon.” The voice was excited and fearful at the same time. “It stood like a man, but was covered in thick hair, like the mane of a lion, only darker, almost black.”

  Kaiden’s eyes began to focus. He could see Thad and two other men. They were seated in the middle of a tent. Kaiden was in a bed to the side.

  The two men with Thad possessed the look of fighting men. They were both of middle height, with the light brown hair so common to the southern men. One wore a beard, the other was clean shaven.

  There were additional empty beds in the tent. One at the far end was occupied, though Kaiden couldn’t see who was in it. He imagined it was probably Coen. He hoped it was. That would mean Coen was still alive.

  Thad continued talking. He sounded like he’d told this story before. The two other men listened intently.

  “It had a face like a man, but covered in fur. Its eyes looked right through you. Its hands were great big paws like a bear’s”

  “Thad,” the man with the beard spoke, “I don’t mean to accuse you of stretching the truth a bit, but are you sure that’s what you saw? Those caves can be pretty dark.”

  “It was a demon I tell you.” Thad was irritated. “Something that crawled up from the bottom of this Rift everyone’s been talking about. Some kind of devil sent to torment us.”

  The other man laughed. “Like a mystical scourge these northmen believe in? Sent to punish us for our sins?”

  “I’m not saying what it was. I just know I never saw anything like it. Man or beast.”

  “Tostig said he saw it too, Morten.” The third man spoke. “I don’t think they are making it up.”

  “Well, I’ll believe it when I see it.” This Morten fellow rubbed Kaiden the wrong way for some reason. It wasn’t just his skepticism. He came off as pompous.

  “I saw it too,” Kaiden said. “It was like Thad described it. Only worse.” There that might shut this guy up.

  “Kaiden!” Thad jumped up. “You’re awake.”

  “Yea,” it was an effort for Kaiden to sit up. He managed with only a little pain. “How could I sleep with you carrying on like that?”

  “Sleep indeed,” Thad was at Kaiden’s bed side, trying to help him up.

  Kaiden waved him off.

  Thad talked over him. “You’ve been asleep for near a day and a half straight.” He chuckled, “We couldn’t even wake you to get you fed.”

  Kaide
n realized he still had a nasty taste in his mouth. “I remember what you did feed me. What was that foul stuff?”

  “Something to help knit muscle,” Thad smirked. “With a little something extra to relax you.”

  “I think it about killed me.” Kaiden’s head spun. He rubbed his forehead, trying to clear his mind. “Who was that pretty lady who forced it down my throat?”

  “That would have been the Lady Elizbet,” Morten said. Kaiden wished the man wouldn’t talk. His head hurt enough already.

  “Lady, you say?” Kaiden tried to hide his interest.

  “Yes,” Thad said. “The Lady Elizbet, she’s spoken for if that’s what your wondering.”

  Morten and the other man laughed. “Like this northern cur would have a shot at the likes of her.”

  Kaiden wanted to smack the man.

  “Watch what you say about our guest.” Thad was not the least bit amused. “He saved the lives of Tostig, Coen and myself.” Thad sniffed. “That alone deserves your respect.”

  “I’m just saying,” Morten did not sound apologetic. “I meant no offense.”

  “None taken,” Kaiden lied.

  “Well we’ve got things to do,” Morten said, turning to Thad. “We’ll leave you to continue playing nurse.”

  “It was nice to meet you,” the other man spoke. “I’m Raul.”

  Kaiden shook his hand. He was much more pleasant than that Morten guy.

  “I hope you recover,” Raul nodded a goodbye then followed Morten out the tent.

  Kaiden looked to Thad for some kind of explanation.

  “They are cousins,” Thad said. “Morten’s not so bad once you get to know him. Tostig is sick of telling the story so he sends everyone here. I must have told the whole camp twice by now.”

  “Have I really been asleep for a day and a half?”

  “Yea, I’ve been here most of that time,” Thad admitted. “You never stirred.”

  “How’s Coen?”

  “I think he’ll be okay.” Thad was optimistic. “He’ll have to spend a few weeks in bed, but I think he’ll recover. The Lady Elizbet is quite a field nurse. She’s patched up most of us at one time or another.”

  “Is she the one who stitched up my arm?”

  “She is.”

  “I’d like to thank her if she’s around.”

  Thad shook his head. “She left this morning.”

  “Left?” Kaiden asked, “To where?”

  “To the main camp.”

  Kaiden was startled. “Main camp? You mean there are more of you? How many of you are there?”

  Thad bit his lower lip. “I’ve probably let too much slip, but,” he sighed, “you’re going to find out sooner or later. Just don’t tell Oded you heard it from me.”

  “Heard what?”

  “There are about four thousand of us,” Tostig said.

  “Four thousand!” Kaiden was shocked

  “Not including the women and children.”

  “Women and children!?”

  “You know, like the Lady Elizbet.”

  Kaiden shook his head. Four thousand? Not including the women and children? Unbelievable. Four thousand!

  “Oded thought your father would not be too happy with an army coming to the north uninvited.”

  “That’s an understatement.” Kaiden was sure his father would not be pleased at all. It was like an invasion. How could four thousand men move into the north without anyone noticing? “What are Oded’s intentions?”

  “Oded’s?” Thad wore a puzzled look.

  “Yes, isn’t he your leader?”

  “Not exactly,” Thad was trying to dance around the subject.

  Kaiden could see Thad had already said more than he had wanted to. Kaiden pressed him anyway. “What do you mean, ‘Not exactly’?”

  Thad was squirming now. “Well Oded has been kind of our leader,” Thad paused to choose his words carefully. “There is kind of a balance of power.”

  “Between whom?” Kaiden wanted to keep Thad talking as long as he could. “You obviously have at least one lady with you. Do you have any lords?”

  “A few, but they have all learned they no longer hold the power they once had.”

  “So the Lady Elizbet is not in charge?”

  Thad laughed. “Sometimes she thinks she is.” Thad chuckled some more. “I’m not so sure she really isn’t.”

  “So Oded is in charge.”

  “You’ll have to ask Oded.”

  So there was somebody else besides Oded. Was he here already? Maybe if Kaiden changed angles he could keep Thad talking. “Well what are Oded’s intentions?”

  Thad was shaking his head. “I thought he told you.” Thad was not pleased. “I really shouldn’t be saying anything. It’s not like it is a secret or anything, its just...”

  “Just what?”

  Thad sighed. “We’ve been so secretive for so long. Running and hiding. Trusting no one.” Kaiden could see Thad wanted to be somewhere else. “You’ll have to ask Oded.”

  “I think I’m going to do that.” Kaiden started to stand. His head began to swim again. His hand went instinctively to his face. He groaned a little, but made it to his feet. “Where is he?”

  Thad was at Kaiden’s side trying to push him back into bed. “I don’t think you should be getting up yet.”

  “I’m fine,” Kaiden lied. “Where are my clothes?”

  Thad shook his head. “Well if you insist.” Thad pointed. “They are there on that stool. We cut your shirt off you. The lady Elizbet left a new one for you.”

  Kaiden wanted to know why a lady was running around with these men. “She said to call her Bet.”

  Thad wore a large grin. “I wouldn’t if I were you.”

  Kaiden had his pants on and was in the process of pulling on his boots. “Why? You say she is spoken for?”

  “Yea, married, two kids.” Thad’s grin hadn’t gotten any smaller. “Don’t worry, I don’t think there is a single one of us that didn’t find her striking when we first saw her.”

  Well if she was married her husband must be a lord. He could be this mystery leader everyone was so secretive about.

  “Spoken for indeed,” Kaiden muttered and pulled his shirt over his head. He winced in pain, putting his arm through the sleeve. Maybe he should put it in a sling. Kaiden pushed that thought out of his head. “Where can I find Oded?”

  “He should be in camp somewhere.”

  “You coming?”

  “No,” Thad shook his head again. “I’m going to stay here with Coen.”

  Kaiden pushed aside the tent flap. Outside it appeared to be midday. The sun had climbed high in the cloudless sky. It should be warm, but it wasn’t. Snow was still on the ground and probably would remain until late next spring. It was going to be a long winter. A cold winter. In more ways than one. Kaiden wished he’d taken time to find his cloak.

  The men in camp again paid him no mind. They all went about there own business. The camp was busy, but less crowded than before. Kaiden noticed there were fewer horses. He wondered if some men had gone to this other camp Thad spoke of. Kaiden still couldn’t believe there were four thousand fighting men on his father’s lands. That was more than any clan in the north could muster. Except of course the Halfen. They had by far the largest population in the north, though half of them where criminals and pirates running from the hangman’s noose, not truly northmen at all. Or at least the children of such. Kaiden hoped this situation did not come to blows. He needed to find out now if these men were friendly. He thought they were, yet there was something in the back of his mind that screamed caution.

  Instead of searching aimlessly Kaiden walked to where he’d found Oded before. He wasn’t there. So much for that idea. Kaiden took a moment to survey the camp. There were men chopping wood, a couple shoveling snow. A few cook fires with men stirring pots or turning spits. That made Kaiden’s stomach growl and he was reminded he hadn’t eaten anything for the better part of two days. He igno
red his hunger and kept at his task. There looked to be some activity near the horse lines. Kaiden decided to try there.

  There were enough horses here for everyman to have at least one. How did they feed them all? Kaiden had seen quite a few pack mules earlier, but there were only four he could see now. Maybe these men were readying to move on.

  As Kaiden approached the horse line he spotted Oded. Tostig, once again, was with him. The two men were checking horseshoes. Something Kaiden knew more about than most men. He was a fairly good blacksmith, but never showed anywhere near the promise Von had. Most men his age left that work behind to men who were better at it. Still it was a tradition to train all young men of the Kailfen clan as blacksmiths, so Kaiden had learned.

  Tostig looked up and grinned. “I didn’t expect to see you up for another day or two.”

  “I got sick of laying in bed,” Kaiden said. “How do the horses look?”

  “Well we are going to need to re-shoe a few of them,” said Tostig. “How’s the arm?”

  “It’s been better.” Kaiden tried to ignore the throbbing in his bicep. Now that he had been up for a while a sling didn’t sound like such a bad idea. He should take better care of himself.

  “You really should be taking it easy,” Oded said. Kaiden remembered Oded and Tostig were clerics. They would have a special interest in seeing the wounded were healing properly. He decided not to tell them how bad his arm still hurt. They probably knew already.

  “I know I should take it easy,” Kaiden said, hoping that would pacify Oded, “but we need to talk.”

  Oded raised his eyebrows.

  Where to start? thought Kaiden. “Any more signs of the vyr?”

  “No,” Tostig answered.

  “So you are convinced it is a vyr,” Oded said.

  “Yes.” Kaiden was sure of it now. He hadn’t believed in them before, but had heard enough tales from men who did to recognize a vyr when he saw it.