by Chuck Black
It took a tremendous amount of discipline not to devour the food ravenously, for it was delicious. Leinad immediately thought of Tess.
“I have to get this to Tess,” he said earnestly and began to rise.
The stranger put a firm hand on his shoulder. “We will get to her soon, but you must take another minute to eat and strengthen yourself.”
Leinad stopped and looked into the eyes of the stranger for the first time. They were penetrating eyes, and yet they held the same love that he remembered seeing in his father’s eyes. He was handsome and carried himself as a nobleman.
“Who are you, sir?” Leinad asked again.
“I am a man from a distant land.”
Leinad thought that he looked more like a prince than a traveler. He finished his meat and drank again.
“Thank you for your kindness, sir. We are in a desperate situation, and I must get food to my friend back at camp,” Leinad said.
“Yes, I know. Let us make haste and get Tess some food.”
His tone made Leinad feel as though this man knew Tess. He seemed to know Leinad as well, but he was sure he had never seen the man before.
The stranger helped Leinad to his feet and easily lifted the young buck back onto his shoulders. They hurried back to Leinad’s campsite.
When they arrived, Tess was barely coherent. Leinad fed her some of the sweet bread and water and let her rest again.
“It will take you a few days to nurse her back to full strength.” The stranger looked down at her and smiled. “She has a good heart, Leinad. Take care of her.” It was more than a request; it was a charge. “I will leave the rest of my provisions with you. Take the deer, and cook what you need. Dry the rest of the meat to take on your journey.”
This man and his knowledge of their condition perplexed Leinad, but there was a natural authority in him that brought comfort.
“Can you travel with us, sir?” Leinad asked hopefully.
“I’m sorry, Leinad, that is not possible. You must make this journey on your own. My path lies in a different direction.”
Leinad looked down toward the ground. His confidence in his own abilities was waning. A gleam of sunlight caught his eye as it reflected off a magnificent sword that hung at the stranger’s side. It was a sword that had no equal. The mark on the sword was the same as the one on his sword—the mark of the King.
The stranger placed his hand on Leinad’s shoulder. “You have done well, Leinad. Do not be afraid or discouraged. The King will be with you. Your calling is noble, and you are well suited to fulfill it.”
Leinad looked up into the stranger’s eyes once again and found the confidence that had left him. “What am I supposed to do?”
“You must travel south to the Valley of Nan. Those people have been chosen by the King to fulfill his plan for Arrethtrae.”
Leinad nodded. “I will do as the King wishes.”
The stranger smiled, looked toward Tess, and left their campsite in a northerly direction.
With the provisions left behind by the stranger, Leinad and Tess regained their strength over the next few days. Leinad decided to travel around the mountains just above the Vactor Deluge consumption line on their journey to the Valley of Nan. He did not want to risk crossing over the mountains with the cold season approaching. As they moved south, they became more adept at locating food, though there seemed to be no end to the destruction of the Vactor Deluge. Their progress was slow but steady. Most of their energy was spent on surviving and traveling. A mutual respect grew out of the enormity of their challenge.
After many weeks of travel, they finally reached the southern portion of the Tara Hills Mountain Range. The aftermath of the Vactor Deluge was still evident clear up to the Red Canyon, which lay a day’s journey across what once was a fertile plain. By midday one afternoon, they had reached a vantage point that enabled them to see far to the south.
“Look beyond the canyon, Tess,” Leinad said. “What do you see?”
Tess strained her eyes, for the distance was great and the horizon was slightly hazy. “It looks like … green!” she exclaimed.
They both smiled for the first time in many days.
“Yes. Green!” Leinad said. “And that’s where we’re headed as soon as we can stock up on food and water to make it across that barren plain. We’d better plan on two days of provisions.”
Once they were ready, they descended to the Vactor Deluge consumption line. They stopped just a few feet above the motionless black mass. Being this close to the Vactor creatures, even though they were dead, made Leinad and Tess uneasy. The disturbing memories of that sorrowful day a few weeks earlier flooded back into Leinad’s mind.
He reached down with the tip of the hunting bow he had fashioned and pushed some of the mass aside. To his surprise, the bow uncovered the tender spires of thick, fresh grass growing beneath.
“Look, Tess,” he said. “It’s lush too. It’s as though the soil is more fertile than it was before.”
He stepped onto the black mass and felt the cushion of the grass. It was a strange sensation standing on the dark mass that earlier had ravaged the countryside.
He reached out for Tess’s hand. “Come on, Sunshine. Let’s go find a home.”
Tess smiled and obliged.
The journey across the plain was not pleasant. Their clothes were soon covered from the waist down with a black powder. They were careful not to stir up the mass, but it was nearly impossible. They were forced to cover their mouths with a cloth to improve the air they breathed. Leinad decided to travel on through the night and into the next day if need be. The thought of sleeping in the black powder was unacceptable to him.
Leinad and Tess were grateful to finally reach the majestic Red Canyon. However, it posed a formidable task to cross, as the canyon was enormous. The reddish rocks and soil added to the impression that it was a scar that ran from the Great Sea deep into the heart of the kingdom. Leinad could see that the river that flowed on the canyon floor was the dividing line between land consumed by the Vactor Deluge and land that was still alive.
The sights below as they stood on the ridge above the canyon nearly took their breath away. Descending the canyon walls would be treacherous, and there was no going around it. On the opposite side of the canyon, Leinad could see a long, narrow tributary that branched from the main gorge in a southwest direction, where the canyon floor rose to meet the green plains beyond, but there was no such tributary on this side.
Leinad and Tess traveled along the canyon’s rim until they found a portion of the steep wall they felt they could negotiate. After many hours of careful but exhausting work, they set foot on the canyon floor. They rinsed themselves in the river and were glad to be rid of the black dust that clung to their skin and clothes. The swim was refreshing, and they would have lingered, but exhaustion overcame them. They crossed the river and set foot on level ground untouched by the Vactor Deluge. In the shade of the canyon walls, they slept.
Leinad and Tess traveled east on the canyon floor until they found a way to ascend the steep walls and enter the land they had spotted from the mountains.
After a few more days of traveling, they entered the Valley of Nan. The land was foreign, but the sight of farms in the distance renewed their spirits. The valley was not particularly lush, but it was fertile enough to support the many farms that dotted the countryside. They were anxious to meet people, but Leinad had to remind himself and Tess to be cautious.
They stood on a rise that looked over the valley. It was the first time in many weeks that both of them felt joyful. Leinad breathed deeply, and Tess raised both of her arms into the air as if to hug the whole valley.
“We made it, Sunshine,” Leinad said with a sigh.
Tess hugged Leinad’s arm and smiled. “We made it,” she echoed.
BETRAYED!
Not knowing the disposition of the people, and not wanting to draw undue attention to himself in an exclusively farming region, Leinad felt it was ne
cessary to temporarily hide his sword and blend in with the people. He wrapped it in deer hide and buried it beneath a large stone near a grove of trees at the edge of the valley.
The people in the Valley of Nan were kind but not necessarily warm in their greetings. Leinad learned later that their hesitant kindness was because of the raids that had occurred in times past. In other regions of the kingdom, castle lords were often in need of slaves to work their land and their castles. The Valley of Nan was one of many regions targeted to supply this labor. Most of the farms in the valley were extremely functional and simple. The people were independent and yet loyal to one another. There was no established government or elected leader. However, the size of a farm established prominence, and Master Stanton was by far the most prominent man in the region.
Leinad and Tess were offered a meal and a barn to sleep in by a family on the fringe of the valley. The extra burden was more than they could ask of the family for more than one night, however, and Leinad knew he must find a farm that would hire, feed, and lodge the both of them for a time. Thus he was directed to Master Stanton.
As they entered Master Stanton’s land the next day and approached the farm, Leinad heard a strong voice barking commands to servants and farmhands. Two large men with pitchforks approached them.
“This is Master Stanton’s land, and he doesn’t want any trespassers,” one of the men said.
Leinad held up his hands to show them empty. “We enter peacefully and come only to seek work on Master Stanton’s farm.”
This answer seemed to satisfy the burly men, and Leinad and Tess were escorted to the front of the large farmhouse, where Stanton was still giving orders for the day. Leinad and Tess waited patiently and listened. Stanton seemed to be a harsh man, but the people that had provided lodging the previous night said he was a fair man … in most situations. When the orders were complete, Leinad and Tess stepped forward to introduce themselves.
“Master Stanton,” Leinad said with all politeness, “I am Leinad, and this is my friend Tess. We have traveled a great distance and are looking for work in exchange for food and lodging. It is our understanding that your farm and land are the finest around. Would you be so kind, sir, as to tell us if you are in need of some extra help?”
Stanton’s face was leathery from the endless days of labor in the sun. It appeared to Leinad that this man worked as hard as if not harder than any of his servants. His hands were large, brown, and strong. He scrutinized Leinad and Tess with pursed lips and squinted eyes.
“Where are you from, son?” he asked.
Leinad relaxed slightly. “We are from the Plains of Kerr, across the Red Canyon to the north, sir.”
“Do you know anything about farming?”
“It is what I have spent my entire life doing,” Leinad said with a bit of pride.
Stanton continued his scrutiny of the two strangers a few moments longer. “I’ll give you food and lodging for a hard day’s work, and the little miss can work in the kitchen with the other servant girls. Once I see how you do, we’ll talk about wages. Fair enough?”
Leinad smiled and nodded. “Thank you, sir. You will not be disappointed with our work.”
“I’d better not be,” Stanton stated abruptly. He then softened slightly. “Go to the kitchen and get some biscuits and water. Once you’ve eaten, report to Supervisor Benreu in the west fields. Tess, Mrs. Stanton will tell you what she needs done.”
“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WERE a time of adjustment. The work was hard, but it was a relief not to have to worry about where the next meal was coming from. They were both quartered in barrack houses built for the workers. Leinad found an opportunity to retrieve his sword and hid it beneath a loose floorboard in the barrack house he was assigned to. He enjoyed working the land again. It reminded him of his father and the joyful days on his own farm. If Leinad was apprehensive about anything, it was his supervisor, Benreu. Leinad did not care for him nor did he trust him. The other six men under him were crude men with a clear loyalty to Benreu. Leinad was glad that Tess was working in the farmhouse away from these brutes.
The west fields were over a knoll and beyond the sight of the Stanton farm. A road ran nearby that connected the Valley of Nan with the other regions in the kingdom. On an overcast afternoon, Leinad glanced up from his work to see a caravan of carts and horses approaching from the east. All work stopped, and the other workers looked as if they recognized the caravan.
“Who are they?” Leinad asked the nearest farmhand.
The man looked at Leinad and responded with a crooked smile. The other hands had worked their way close to Leinad.
“Grab him!” Benreu shouted.
The men bound Leinad with rope and hauled him to the roadside. Leinad wondered what his fate would be. A deal was quickly struck, and Leinad was placed in a caged cart in exchange for a bag of money.
The caravan leader, obviously an acquaintance of Benreu, appeared in a hurry to be on his way, but Benreu halted him. He walked to the work wagon and recovered something wrapped in cloth. He returned to the caravan and displayed Leinad’s sword.
“How much for this elegant sword?” he asked the caravan leader.
Leinad was shocked that Benreu had found his sword. He must have planned this for a long time, Leinad thought.
A second deal was struck concerning the sword. Leinad found himself a prisoner, without his sword, on a road that led to a foreign destination. He wondered if he would ever see Tess again. Surely this wasn’t part of the King’s plan. A familiar despair fell upon his heart. The kingdom seemed so big and chaotic. He wondered if the King was big enough to rule such a land. It was overwhelming for a boy to contemplate, for he felt as insignificant as a pebble on the beach.
The caravan made two more stops for merchandise trades and slave purchases before arriving in the region of Nyland three days later. Nyland was lush and beautiful, but Leinad was so sore from the bumps and bruises of the journey that he hardly noticed. He was thankful that the journey was almost over, no matter where it ended. The caravan made its way through a large grove of trees and on toward a prominent castle that sprawled across the crest of a hill. It was a magnificent castle. Leinad had never seen such a bold structure that integrated beauty and strength so perfectly.
“Pyron Mid,” said one of the other captives.
“What?” Leinad asked.
“Pyron Mid. The castle is called Pyron Mid. Haven’t you ever heard of it?”
“No. Should I have?”
“Lord Fairos’s Pyron Mid is the grandest castle in all the land, and its mortar is the sweat and blood of the hundreds of slaves he keeps.”
The castle was massive, with walls that towered above the landscape. A moat encircled the castle, as well as additional land to allow for future expansion. On their approach, Leinad saw people working the numerous fields. The soil looked dark and fertile.
Once the caravan came to a halt, Leinad and the other captives were lined up outside the castle walls. They waited until a sturdy man dressed in the apparel of a knight rode across the drawbridge upon a splendid gray steed.
“Ah, Lord Fairos,” the caravan leader exclaimed. “It is truly a pleasure to see you. I trust your recent conquests have been profitable for you?”
“Cut the drivel, Dagon,” Lord Fairos said. “What have you got?”
“I have a fine selection of the very best slaves available for you to choose from today.”
Fairos did not dismount. He circled the six captives from his mount, inspecting each one. He stopped in front of them. “Which of you have laid brick and mortar?”
No one responded.
He turned to Dagon. “You know what I need, Dagon. Why do you keep bringing incompetents that I must train before they are useful to me?”
“Sire, sire,” Dagon said in a tone that was slightly patronizing, “what you need is not readily available in the kingdom. But what I have brought you are six stro
ng backs. They will be productive for you within a day … that is a promise from Dagon.”
Fairos eyed the lineup once again. “Very well. But if any falter within a month, you will return my money. Is that clear?”
“Of course, my lord. Of course.”
Fairos turned to the captives once again. “You are mine now. You will work hard and long. In return I will feed you and let you live. If you try to run, my men will hunt you down and kill you. I give no second chances. Do you understand?”
A couple of the men nodded slowly, but Fairos did not wait for a reply. “Dagon, take them to the west wall, and turn them over to my guards. Afterward you may see my treasury officer to collect the usual fee.”
“Yes, Lord Fairos. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Fairos turned his horse and galloped into the country.
BEGINNING OF BONDAGE
Leinad was one of many slaves in Nyland. The other men, women, and children that made up Lord Fairos’s labor force came from all over the kingdom. Slave traders like Dagon frequented the castle, and occasionally Lord Fairos’s own forces would raid other lands and bring the spoils, including slaves, back to the castle.
In his loneliness, Leinad’s thoughts often turned to Tess. He was thankful that she was with the Stantons, for he believed they were good people, but he missed her. Only now did he realize what a friend that little girl had become. Her cheerful, freckled face made him smile when he thought of her.
Leinad continually thought of escaping, but the slaves were under constant guard. One of the new slaves did attempt an escape, but his flight was short and his execution quick. All of the slaves were forced to watch. Lord Fairos used it as an example of what would happen to anyone else who might make a similar attempt. It was an effective deterrent, but it did not stop Leinad from planning. He knew that he would just have to be extremely prepared and careful when the opportunity arrived.
Not many weeks passed before another slave trader arrived with over twenty new slaves. Leinad saw the arrival of the caravan and wondered what new stories of woe would accompany its occupants. From his vantage point on the west wall, he could just see the lineup and Lord Fairos’s inspection. The distance was too far to see any details, but he was able to discern that it was a mix of adults and children, probably the result of a village raid.